Eternal Devotion
by emalathe
Summary: AUVampfic. Vampire Eiri becomes infatuated with a certain pinkhaired singer. I am horrible at summaries, so please read!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the gravitation characters**

**Summery: This is an AU vamp-fic and my second fanfiction story. Much of the plot will be revealed as the story goes on. Some of the chapters may not be very long, but I do update quickly, so hopefully that will satisfy my readers :-)**

XXX

"Thanks for coming out tonight! Once again, we are _Bad Luck_. Come back and see us here Monday night!"

Shuichi smiled brightly at the cheering audience that filled the small club and bowed deeply. Turning around, he caught Hiro's smiling face and joined him in clearing the stage. They could hear the music flowing through the speakers as they gathered up their equipment and brought everything backstage. Shuichi carefully wound the wires of his synthesizer as Hiro placed his guitar in it's velvet-lined case.

Shuichi felt a hand pat him on the shoulder and turned to look at his friend. "Great job tonight, Shu. I think that was our best performance yet."

Shuichi's smile widened. "Yeah, we're sure to make it big any time now." He fought to keep the smile on his face despite the fact that his words sounded hollow to him. He found himself saying the exact same words after each of their performances, and felt his resolve waver slightly. He quickly decided to change the subject. "We may as well leave our stuff here if we are going to be back in a couple of days. We'll practice before the next show."

Hiro, being the attentive friend, noticed the change in the smaller boy's eyes and reached out to ruffle his pink hair gently. "Sounds good. Hey, why don't we hang out tomorrow, huh?"

"I have to work tomorrow, but I get off early," Shuichi answered, perking up slightly. "Can we go to that new club that opened up last month?"

Hiro nodded. "Anywhere you want to go, Shu."

They both threw on their jackets to prepare themselves for the chilly weather outside. "So, what are you up to tonight?"

Hiro could not help but smile a little at the question. "Ayaka is coming over to watch a movie."

Shuichi wore a devilish grin on his face and nudged the taller boy's ribs with his elbow. "Ohh..._watching a movie_, huh," he asked suggestively.

"Baka," Hiro playfully slapped Shuichi on the back of the head. "Get your head out of the gutter, pervert." Shuichi's giggle brought a flush to the brunette's cheeks. "Anyway, I gotta get going. I'll stop by your apartment tomorrow night to pick you up, okay?"

Shuichi nodded. "Sure thing. Have _fun _tonight," he added as an afterthought, quickly dodging another hit and running out the side door, laughing.

XXX

The cool breeze was a welcome presence against his flushed cheeks. He shivered slightly as the wind dried the remaining sweat from his forehead and he pulled his jacket tighter around himself. The streets were empty and unnaturally quiet as he crossed the street and headed towards the park.

Shuichi sighed contentedly, looking up towards the stars. Tonight was, once again, a complete success. After spending a year playing in bars and in amateur contests, he was still unsure why he and his best friend, Hiro, had yet to be picked up by a record label. Although he had his fair share of doubts about their talent, they had a surprisingly large fan base already. He smiled, knowing that many people came to the club tonight for the soul purpose of hearing them play.

He turned the corner and walked past the wrought-iron gate that signaled the entrance of his favorite place - the park. Although it was quite out of the way of his apartment, and it would be faster to take the pedestrian bridge, he couldn't help but be drawn here on his way home. He looked to his left, and marveled at how brightly the moon reflected in the rippling water of the river. This place was always so calming to him, and was helpful after performances, when his adrenaline dissipated and he was left feeling empty. He stopped by the railing and tilted his head back, resting his arms on the cold metal and looking into the clear night sky.

He had never thought that his life would be so difficult after high school. After graduation, he immediately found his own small apartment, not wanting to burden his parents anymore. They were disappointed that he decided against going to college, but he knew that he lacked 'book-smarts'. He wanted to pursue his dream of being a singer, just like his idol, Sakuma Ryuichi. Hiro had always supported him, even to the point of disobeying his parents just so he could play the guitar for him when they 'made it big'.

Shuichi lowered his head. He sometimes felt like he was disappointing his friend. He had always promised Hiro that once they had decent lyrics and a few gigs, they would be scouted in no time. That was a year ago. Both of them had full-time jobs to pay for their apartments and necessities and spent all of their free time trying to score gigs. If Hiro had not followed him, he could be in college right now, learning to become a doctor. Hiro could have had an easy life...well, easier than living from paycheck to paycheck, anyway. Shuichi did not have any other goals, but he did not want his friend to be dragged down with him.

He sighed sadly. Feeling the harsh wind begin to pick up, he snapped out of his reverie and pushed away from the railing. It was well past midnight, and he needed to get home. He had work tomorrow, after all.

He turned and began walking towards his apartment, head lowered to the ground. He was lost in thought again until he heard the sound of soft steps. He looked up and everything faded...

XXX

The chill of the night did not bother Eiri in the least. In fact, he welcomed it. Winter was coming and he enjoyed the crisp air that was brought with it. The night sky was clear and the moon was full, casting a soft glow on the trees, almost completely washed out by the street lamps.

He walked towards the park near his house. He was unusually hungry tonight, and he was determined to hunt until his thirst was sated. It was still early, of course, so he decided to take his time.

He walked onto the cobblestone path that spanned the length of the park. He was disappointed that he could not detect the smell of humans here. This was the ideal hunting ground, of course, as it was encompassed by tall trees on one side and the river on the other. No one would be able to see him feeding and he enjoyed the privacy. Maybe he should turn around and try to-

_There_.

He could smell it. The faint, sweet smell that belonged solely to humans. There was only one, and it brought a smile to his face. He picked up his pace to a steady rhythm and followed his keen sense of smell. After walking for several minutes, his eye caught sight of his prey, and his breath caught in his chest.

There, standing several meters in front of him, was a breathtaking figure. The creature was so stunning that, for a moment, he mistook it for a girl. The scent told him otherwise, as well as his eyes when they traced the lithe figure. Definitely a boy. The boy, thankfully, had not see him yet. His eyes were focused downwards, looking towards the river. The light from the lamps cascaded on the porcelain skin of the boy's face, bringing a golden glow. Pink hair, styled in choppy layers, framed his delicate face and pooled just above his shoulders. The boy had a slender built and a tiny waist that could be discerned despite the layers of clothing he wore. Eiri could not help but wonder what he would look like if he were-

Eiri snapped to attention when the boy turned and began walking towards him. He was delighted that the small boy seemed preoccupied with his thoughts and did not look up to see him. Feeling his body react to the familiar craving, he took a few steps forward, closing the distance between them. When he was a few feet in front of him, the boy looked up. Eiri quickly sharpened his gaze so that when their eyes finally locked, he effortlessly hypnotized the boy.

The boy stopped immediately and was ensnared in Eiri's trance. Eiri smiled, marveling at how easy it was to control these humans. Without the fear of being caught, he studied the boy more closely. He took in every detail of the unique figure, and found himself drowning in his eyes, which were an unnatural shade of violet. Amethyst. Upon closer inspection, Eiri decided that they were, in fact, natural. His eyes fell onto those pink lips, then trailed down his softly-angled chin and his long, slender neck.

Hunger getting the better of him, he brushed aside the pink locks and ran his finger over the delicate skin covering his pulse. Deciding that he had wasted enough time admiring this boy, he placed his left hand in the boy's hair, which was even softer than it looked, and tilted his head, exposing his neck even more. He leaned down and extended his fangs, which effortlessly pierced the tender skin. He could feel the warmth of the boy's blood filling his mouth as well as his other senses. He always found feeding to be an indescribably pleasant experience. What he was not expecting, however, was for this boy's blood to be so intoxicating. He closed his eyes and almost moaned into the boy's neck. He had never tasted anything so delicious in his life. He wrapped his arm around the slim waist, pulling the body closer. The warmth filled him so completely, making him blind to everything else, and he didn't want to stop.

The slowing rhythm of the boy's heart brought him back to his senses. In all of the years he had been a vampire, given that he was still young, he had never taken a humans' life. Regretfully, he extracted his fangs and pulled back slightly. He gently ran his tongue over the wound and watched it heal within seconds, his saliva quickly erasing the evidence.

Although the boy had visibly paled, Eiri was thankful that he stopped himself in time before doing something he would later regret. Picking the boy up, he walked over to a bench on the side of the path, noting how weightless he seemed. He laid the body on the bench and pulled his jacket closed over him. For some reason, he did not like the idea of leaving the boy here in this condition. Funny, something like that had never bothered him before. More times than not, he would simply walk away, not even bothering to make sure the victim was in the right condition to stand after he removed the trance.

Something about this boy was...different.

He carefully ran his fingers across the pale cheek, memorizing the feel of his soft skin. Almost regretfully, he got to his feet and walked way, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder. _He is just a human...a _boy_...why should I care what happens to him. I got what I wanted._

For some reason, those thoughts sounded hollow.

XXX

He could feel his body shivering uncontrollably. He opened his eyes, and blinked a few times trying to clear his blurry vision. The moon shined brightly above him. Confused, he realized he was laying down and quickly sat up. This turned out to be a bad idea, as his head began spinning unmercifully. Holding his head in his hands, he waited for the nauseating dizziness to pass. His head throbbed, pounding in an even rhythm and his body felt almost numb.

_How did I end up falling asleep here?_

After several minutes, his mind began to clear and he opened his eyes. The sky was still dark, so he couldn't have been out for long. The last thing he could remember was looking over the river and then...nothing. _Maybe I'm more worn out than I thought_, he reasoned with himself. He did feel unusually fatigued and light-headed. He decided that he should get home as quickly as possible.

He got to his feet and began walking a little faster than before. The streets were lifeless and he made his way to his apartment after ten minutes. He pulled his key out of his jacket and quickly walked inside. He made his way down the short hallway to the elevators and rode the rickety contraption to the third floor. He walked to his apartment, unlocked the door and entered quietly.

His apartment was nothing special. He was not much of a house-keeper, which was evident from the random articles of clothing that littered the floor and furniture. He walked over to his small kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Empty. He cursed under his breath, realizing that he forgot to go shopping. After checking the cabinets, he decided that he was completely out of food. Not having enough energy to order take-out, even if there was a place open this time of night, he decided to get some sleep.

Maneuvering through the piles of clothes, books, c.d.'s and other miscellaneous junk, he walked into his bedroom and collapsed on his bed, immediately falling asleep.

XXX

Eiri could not bring himself to look for another meal tonight. He was confused from the fact that he could not get the image of that pink-haired boy out of his head. _What was it about him_?... he mused. _Sure, the kid was attractive, but he is just a child. Can't be older than eighteen._

Still, he could not help but to concentrate on the metallic taste that still lingered in his mouth and throat. There was no denying that the blood was exquisite. He wouldn't mind having another taste sometime...

He opened the door of his house and walked inside. A light was on in the living room, although he distinctly remembered turning out all of the lights before leaving earlier. He knew that there were few people presumptuous enough to enter his apartment uninvited. Sure enough, upon entering the living room, his eyes fell upon a thatch of platinum blonde hair.

Tohma turned his attention to him as he entered, a sickly-sweet smile on his face. "Good evening, Eiri."

Eiri did not respond, choosing instead walk into the kitchen and grab a beer from the refrigerator. He returned to the living room and slumped into the corner of the couch. Tohma watched this with a glint of amusement in his aqua-colored eyes. _What the hell possessed me to give him a spare key._ "What do you want?"

Tohma's smile widened. "Can't I pay my favorite brother-in-law a visit every now and again?" Tohma sat his coffee mug on the table in front of him. "I take it you are done for the night?"

Eiri shrugged his shoulders. Tohma was one of the only people, well, _humans_, who knew of his...condition. The other, being his irritating younger brother who knew what was better for his 'health' and often decided against provoking Eiri's ill temper. Tohma, of course, chose to ignore Eiri's icy attitude. Eiri did not like the fact that his brother-in-law clung to him as he did. His misplaced concern was what led to him finding out Eiri's secret in the first place, and he did not appreciate the fact that he knew.

Tohma sighed, studying the other man. "I thought that you would be out much later, considering _he _left last night. You know...enjoying your freedom and all..."

"Once again, what do you want?" Eiri snapped. He did not need reminded that he was a prisoner of sorts. Those thoughts were better left unspoken.

Tohma chuckled lightly. "As far as I can tell, you haven't fed enough. You are quite grumpy when you're hungry."

Eiri sipped his beer, enjoying the bitter taste. "Why is it that you care?"

Tohma's smile faded and he became serious. "It may not seem to you that I always have your best interest in mind, Eiri, but I do care about you. Giving your condition, I think it would not cause any harm to trust me. You know that I want nothing more than to protect you. Haven't I proven myself worthy of your trust yet?"

Eiri felt a stab of guilt. It was true that Tohma has always been there for him when he needed help. After he was turned, Tohma found out quickly and set about making arrangements for the truth to be kept a secret, even from his own family. Seguchi Tohma is a very influential person, both in business and personal affairs. If it weren't for Eiri's instinctual desire to protect his sire, he knew that Tohma would have 'taken care' of the man long ago. Eiri knew that he should not be so hostile towards the other man. He sighed in defeat. "I guess you have, Tohma."

Tohma smiled widely. "Now, for the matter at hand. Are you still hungry?" Reluctantly, Eiri nodded. "Then come here."

Eiri did not fight against Tohma's embrace. He let his head fall into the crook of the smaller man's neck, quickly inhaling the familiar scent. Although this wasn't the first time Tohma offered himself, Eiri was hesitant. His mind recalled the unique scent of that young boy and was somehow disappointed that it was Tohma's scent that invaded his senses. Pushing these thoughts aside, he extended his canines and sunk them deeply into the pliant flesh.

TBC...

_A.N. So, what do you guys think about the first chapter? I know that it was kind of short, but please bare with me. I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless, and C & C are apreciated, so please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A.N. I wanted to thank everyone for their great reviews of my initial chapter. I always get so motivated with positive feedback! I hope you continue to enjoy this story._

* * *

Eyelashes fluttered silently, slowly opening to reveal tired amethyst eyes. The first light of dawn filtered in through the unadorned window, casting a silver glow throughout the room. No sounds could be heard from outside, a quiet indication of another sleepy Saturday morning.

Groaning, Shuichi stretched his arms high above his head, stretching his worn muscles. Throwing the warm covers aside, he cursed his internal clock and proceeded towards his small bathroom. A year ago, Saturdays signaled a day of rest and relaxation. Now, however, it was simply another day of monotonous work in order to gain a meager salary.

Turning on the hot shower water, he stripped from his tank top and sweat pants, throwing them carelessly in the corner. Stepping into the warm water, he allowed his mind to clear away the senseless dreams brought during the night. His body still felt worn out from falling asleep in the park, but he knew that he could not take the day off. He needed the money and he did not want to borrow from his friend...again.

Rinsing the strawberry-scented shampoo from his hair, he turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. Toweling himself dry, he walked back into his bedroom. Glancing at the clock, he realized that he was running late. He quickly dressed in a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt, which was his designated uniform. He slipped into his black work-shoes and grabbed his leather jacket. Making an extra trip around his apartment, he gathered up his keys, cellphone and wallet before running out the front door, locking it behind him.

XXX

Shuichi stopped just outside the glass door, panting in a desperate attempt to catch his breath. He looked at his watch and was instantly proud that he was on time for work. Pushing through the front door, he quickly caught sight of his boss, Yukata, standing behind the counter. The tall, dark-haired woman glanced at the clock above the cappuccino machine and gave him a smile. "On time for once, Shindo-kun?"

The smile did not leave his face as he rounded the corner of the counter. Although she often mocked his appearance and his punctuality - or lack of - he knew it was all in good humor. Yukata was an incredibly good-natured woman who also happened to be a big fan of his band. Although she often poked fun at him, he was grateful for the job she gave him. When he had first started at the coffee shop, he was just out of high school an inexperienced as a waiter. She must have seen the desperation in his eyes, and hired him that very day.

He grinned sheepishly as he retrieved his white apron from underneath the counter and wrapped it around his waist. "Yeah, I even amazed myself this time," he joked.

Yukata laughed and patted him playfully on the back. "Whatever kid. Why don't you go see table five right now."

Shuichi nodded and pulled out the small pad from the pocket of his apron. Walking over to the designated table, he did not pay attention to the tinkling of bells, signaling a new customer. As he turned away from his customers after scribbling down their order, he felt a pair of hands settle on his hips. Spinning around, he backed away from the offender.

Seeing who stood before him, he glared heatedly. "Keep your hands to yourself, Aizawa."

"Aww, Shindo-kun, I thought that you liked guys," Aizawa Taki cooed, a mocking glint in his dark brown eyes.

Shuichi took another step back and crossed his arms over his chest, not dignifying the comment with a response. Taki's two friends, a tall man with long blonde hair and a shorter brunette, stood on either side of him. The brunette, Ken, snickered while the blonde tugged on Taki's arm. "Come on, man. Just leave the kid alone."

Taki swatted the hand away. "It's okay, Ma-kun. The little fairy's just jealous, that's all. He's bitter because he's nothing more than a talentless hack." Smirking at the shorter boy, he continued. "We can't help it if we have enough talent to be scouted, unlike you." Shuichi didn't respond, and Taki approached him. Lifting his hand, he ran his fingertips over the smooth skin of Shuichi's cheek. Leaning in, Taki whispered in his ear. "Of course, I can be..._persuaded _to recommending you to Seguchi-san." He traced his fingers along Shuichi's jaw and down his slender neck. "I'm sure we could come up with an _arrangement_."

Shuichi growled and slapped the hand away, taking another step back. "Fuck off. I don't need your help. I will always be better than you."

Taki's smirk turned into a scowl. He took a step forward, only to be stopped by Ma-kun. Sharing a quick glance with his friend, he agreed that he didn't want to start trouble here. Locking eyes with Shuichi, he snarled. "You're going to regret that, bitch." With a determined tug, Ma-kun finally pulled his friend away and the three walked out of the door.

Shuichi let out a sigh of relief and slumped into the closest chair. Laying his head on the table, he willed his body to relax. Something about that guy always seemed to send chills down his spine. After a few moments, he finally collected himself and adjusted his head so that his chin was propped on the hard surface. He stared out the window, contemplating Taki's words. _I have talent, I know it._

"Shindo! Quit slacking off and get back to work!"

XXX

The rest of the day was thankfully uneventful and Shuichi managed to get off just as it was starting to get dark outside. Although the long work-days took their toll, he needed the extra hours to make enough money to pay his living expenses. Remembering that he had no food at home, he made a quick trip to the grocery store before heading home.

Quickly putting the food away, he ran into the bathroom. After taking a relaxing, hot shower, he tried to put together his outfit. After almost an hour, he was finally dressed and ready. After giving himself the once-over in his mirror, he heard the sound of his doorbell. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was almost nine o'clock and time for Hiro to pick him up. Deciding to wait outside, he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out the door.

The night was chilly, but not cold. Shuichi leaned back against the rough brick wall of his building. Taking a deep breath and relaxing, he let his mind wander. Flashes of Aizawa Taki floated in his mind, and he couldn't suppress the growl vibrating in his throat. Shuichi was not one to dislike people, but he absolutely loathed that man. He was cocky, self-centered and had a knack for getting under the boy's skin. His thinly-veiled advances never failed to unnerve him. Also, in the back of his mind, he was jealous of the man. He had one thing that Shuichi wished for - a contract. He and his friends were signed to the most prestigious record label in Japan, even though Shuichi believed that Taki's ability could not even compare to his own. He scoffed at himself. _Now who'd the cocky one?_

The deep, reverberating sound of an engine brought him out of his reverie. Looking up, he saw a familiar black motorcycle making its way towards him. Pushing away from the wall, he waited by the curb. Pulling up beside the smaller boy, Hiro momentarily removed his helmet and offered his friend a smile. "Ready to go, Shu?" Shuichi smiled and nodded before accepting the spare helmet Hiro handed him.

XXX

Shuichi slumped gracelessly into the booth across from Hiro. "Man, I'm beat."

Hiro smiled at his friend and took a sip of his coke before pushing a drink towards his friend. "Come on buddy, I'm the designated driver, so it's your responsibility drink for the both of us."

Shuichi, already having had three drinks and considering his low-tolerance for alcohol, lifted his head and stared dumbly at the glass in front of him. After a moment's thought, he grabbed the glass and gulped the contents. Setting the empty glass down, he laid his head on the table and groaned. Hiro laughed and reached over to ruffle his pink, sweat-soaked mop. "It's after midnight and you're already drunk. I think you've danced yourself out. We should head home."

Shuichi lifted his head and nodded. "I'm gonna stop in the restroom first. Meet you out front?"

"Yeah, hurry up though." Hiro stood and walked towards the exit.

Shuichi stood on shaky legs and began making his way towards the back of the club, past the bar. Even though the club was huge, it was extremely crowded tonight. Usually he didn't mind being around a lot of people, but it was another matter altogether when he was drinking. The pounding music and gyrating bodies only served to disorient him.

It took several moments to find the restrooms but they were, thankfully, empty. When he was done, he walked towards the sink and washed his hands. He turned around to walk out...

* * *

"How many times do I have to say it to get it through your thick skull?! I am not going!" Eiri's fist pounded sharply on the granite counter-top. He glared daggers at the man in front of him, who looked like a younger, darker version of himself. "Go find someone else, Tatsuha."

Tatsuha crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Awww, come on, Eiri. You never go out with me anymore."

"Why would I want to be seen in public with an idiot like you," he snarled.

The pouting continued. "Aniki, it's not like we have to hang out once we get there, I just don't want to go alone." His eyes pleaded with his older brother. Suddenly, his face broke with a knowing smile. "Anyway, your complection looks off. If nothing else, you can pick up some hot blonde to feed off of tonight."

_Damn him_, Eiri thought. His brother seemed to know him all too well. He couldn't deny the fact that he was very hungry, having not been able to feed off of Tohma as much as he needed the night before. If he had, his brother-in-law may have been forced to stay the night, being in no condition to drive home. He shuddered at the thought of that man sleeping in his house. Looking towards his dark-haired counterpart, he sighed. "Fine, but if I want to leave, I don't care if you are ready or not. You can get your own ride home."

Tatsuha literally jumped for joy, showing all of the maturity of his seventeen years. "Hurry up and go get ready then. I wanna get there soon!"

Eiri rolled his eyes and proceeded towards his bedroom. _This is going to be a long night._

XXX

He watched as the amber liquid swirled lazily in his glass. He was already starting to get a headache from the loud pounding of the overhead speakers. He disliked the heavy music they played in the club and it was adding to his aggravated mood. They have only been here an hour, but Eiri was more than ready to leave. He had been propositioned by many scantily-dressed women, but their blood smelled foul and their bodies were laced with too much perfume.

He glanced towards the dance floor and quickly caught sight of Tatsuha, who was dancing a little too close to a young brunette. Eiri scoffed. Even though he was a monk, Tatsuha had some unconventional ways of showing it. After watching the boy dance for a few minutes, he decided that he wasn't going to stick around any longer. _Just grab somebody and leave_, he told himself. Being desperate enough to settle for (almost) anything, his eyes quickly scanned the crowd, looking for the most appealing pick. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a brief flash of pink. Turning his head quickly, he saw the back of a figure enter the restroom. _Pink hair...not many people have that color._

Standing quickly, he made his way to the room in the far back of the club. Quietly, he opened the door and entered. There, standing in front of the sink, was the same young boy who seemed to haunt him. The boy's scent lingered in his nostrils, sparking an uncontrollable desire. He inhaled deeply and savored the unique mixture of sweat, musk and the boy's own personal fragrance. He could feel his canines lengthen in his mouth of their own accord.

He took action when the boy turned off the faucet and made a move to turn around. When their eyes met, Eiri quickly hypnotized him, stopping him in his tracks. Reaching behind himself, he locked the bathroom door. _No interruptions_, he thought.

He let his eyes wander over the boy's slender body. His legs were encased in black leather, hugging close to his body and low on his hips. He wore a silky black sleeveless shirt with a zip up the front. His leather jacket ended above his hips, allowing a small patch of skin to show where the shirt had ridden up. Eiri could not suppress his growl when his eye landed on the black leather dog collar around his neck. The boy's hair was damp with sweat and clung to his face and neck. His cheeks were delicately flushed and his eyes shimmered in the dim fluorescent light.

He closed the gab between them and reached his hand out to brush a lock of hair from the boy's eye. He buried his face in the pink tresses and inhaled deeply, trying to capture that scent for as long as he could. He ran his fingertips down the boy's arm, savoring the feel of his soft, smooth skin. Pulling his face away, his eyes lingered on those full, almost pouty pink lips. _What the hell_, he thought before leaning down and pressing their lips together. Even though the boy was unable to respond, Eiri felt an incredible desire course through him.

_I want this boy_.

Breaking the contact, he trailed his lips across his chin and down his neck, resting at the juncture of his shoulder. Giving in to his hunger, he buried his teeth, swallowing the thick essence that poured out. His mind hazed over with the intoxicating liquid and he wrapped his arms around the boy's waist, pulling him closer. He squeezed the boys hips with his fingers, massaging the smooth skin. He wanted to get closer to this boy, claim him. He wanted to know what this boy felt like conscious, panting...

He snapped back to reality when he felt a presence draw near. He did not want to be caught in this position. Reluctantly, he retracted his fangs and licked the wound, healing it immediately. He pulled away and used his shirt sleeve to dry away the traces of blood he missed. He looked into those empty, yet shining, eyes and kissed the boy once again before pulling away. He turned around and unlocked the door, walking through and leaving it shut behind him. He mentally removed the trance after he was several feet away.

_I want him_, he could not help thinking. He suddenly felt dread, knowing what danger the boy would be in. His sire is very possessive over him and would not tolerate it if Eiri chose another lover. Even though he felt this, he could not deny the insatiable urge to reveal himself to the boy. _I don't even know his name._

Deciding that he had a lot to think about, he walked out of the club and walked across the street, where his black Mercedes was parked. He licked his lips, still able to taste the boy. He could still feel the soft, delicate lips against his and it made him want more. His heart sank.

_I can't get involved with him. _He _would never allow it._

* * *

"Hey kid, are you alright?"

"Huh?" was is ever-intelligent response. Shuichi blinked several times, bringing the figure in front of him into focus. A dark-haired man stood in front of him, waving his hand in front of his face.

When the man saw Shuichi respond, he offered a relieved smile and sighed. "I was worried for a minute. You were kinda spaced out there."

"Huh?" He was confused. Did he blank-out again? Quickly gaining his - however drunk- composure, he nodded sheepishly. "I'm fine. I gotta go. Thanks," he said in one breath.

Without waiting for a response, Shuichi walked out of the bathroom and towards the exit. He was extremely tired and his arms and legs felt like lead. His head began spinning as he walked through the crowd and black spots danced in front of his eyes. _That's weird_, he thought. _Maybe I'm just wearing myself out with all of this work_.

Finding the large double-doors, Shuichi walked outside. The crisp, cold air helped to clear his muddled mind as he breathed deeply, willing the dizziness away. Looking around, he spotted Hiro a few feet away, leaning against his motorcycle. As he approached, he noticed the worried look on his friend's face. "I was getting worried about you. What took you so long?"

_So long? I was only in there a minute._ He shook his head and gave Hiro a weak smile. "Nothing. Can we go home now?"

Hiro nodded, still frowning, and climbed on his bike. Shuichi slipped on his helmet and climbed on the back. Wrapping his arms tightly around his friend's larger frame, they drove to Shuichi's apartment.

The drive was only fifteen minutes and they quickly made their way inside, eager to get warm. Once inside, Shuichi quickly fell onto the couch in a jumbled heap. Sighing happily, he stretched the length of the couch, enjoying the feel of the soft cushions beneath him. His head was still reeling, and he could feel himself slipping away. _The shower will wait until morning._

Hiro walked out of the kitchen with a beer in his hand. Seeing his friend collapsed on the couch, he frowned as he noticed how pale the boy was. Setting the can on the coffee table, he shifted the small body so that he sat on the couch with Shuichi's head on his lap. He ran his fingers through the silky pink hair absentmindedly. "Hey, Shu. Are you feeling alright. You look kind of out of it."

Shuichi grunted. "Tired."

Hiro wasn't satisfied with that response. The two had known each other since grade school, and he could safely say that Shuichi had never looked so worn out. "How's work going? Maybe you should take a break or something."

Shuichi shook his head weakly. "It's fine. I just need some sleep." Remembering what happened earlier at work, he scoffed. "Stupid Aizawa, thinks he's so much better..."

Hiro stiffened at hearing that name. "Taki was there today?" A nod. "What did he do?"

The smaller boy was quickly falling asleep, and Hiro could barely make out what he was saying. "Nothing...left before...cocky bastard..." His breath evened out and Hiro knew that the boy had fallen asleep.

He growled to himself. Thoughts of Aizawa Taki always left a bitter taste in his mouth. He did not like the way the droopy-eyed bastard looked at Shuichi, his eyes always malicious and hungry. Usually, Hiro was there to make sure the guy didn't touch his friend, but with what Shuichi just told him, he knew where he worked now. Hiro knew that there was only so much he could do to protect his friend, and it made him angry.

Trying to quell his anger, Hiro's gaze fell to his friend's sleeping face. He gently brushed a few locks of hair from his eyes and let his fingers linger. He had admitted to himself a long time ago that he had more than 'friendly' feelings towards Shuichi. Hell, he loved the boy. Everything about him attracted the brunette, especially his infectious smile and optimistic attitude. He has and would always willingly give up everything to make the boy happy. That is the exact reason why he had never expressed his feelings. He would never be able to live with himself if he ever made the boy sad or cry.

Sure, Hiro was with Ayaka right now. She had been an avid fan of their band for at least the past six months and attended every one of their performances. She was a pretty girl with long brown hair and expressive eyes who always smiled brightly at him. Mostly due to Shuichi's teasing and encouragement, he had finally asked her out two months ago. She was a nice enough girl, and Hiro could possibly see himself with her for a long time, but his heart would always belong to Shuichi, even if the boy would never know it.

Feeling his heart clench, Hiro forced himself away from his current train of thought. He settled himself more comfortably in the couch, Shuichi snuggled against his lap. His back would hurt like hell in the morning, but he wouldn't think of moving for the world.

* * *

Eiri sat quietly in his car outside of the noisy club. His mind was buzzing, feeling as though he had just gotten a fix. He watched the door closely, scanning over the crowd that walked in and out of the large double-doors. He was only looking for one person.

After a few minutes, he finally spotted the flash of pink he was looking for. The boy stumbled out of the building in a dazed state. He watched as the small figure approached a tall, brunette male and, after a short conversation, climbed onto a motorcycle behind him. Turning on his ignition, Eiri pulled out of his parking space and followed behind the bike. He kept his eye on the two, and he felt a pang of some kind of emotion as noticed how tightly the boy clung to the larger male. For some reason, he felt like draining the life out of the guy for being so close to _his _boy.

_I am NOT jealous._

He gripped the steering wheel and concentrated on the task at hand. He would find out where the boy lived if it was the last thing he did.

After a short drive, he saw as the motorcycle parked outside of a tall dilapidated brick building. He drove past the two and parked his car further up the street. He quickly made his way to follow them, maintaining some distance as not to alert the two. After they walked into the building, he followed. His eyes hardly left the slim figure which clung to the jacket of the taller man. He saw how pale the boy was and felt a pang of guilt. He was planning on getting one last taste of the boy before the night was out, but it seemed out of the question now. He would not risk killing the boy under any circumstance.

He watched as the two entered the elevator to go upstairs. Entering the stairwell, he walked up quickly - faster than an ordinary human could. He kept his ears alert. Because the stairwell was directly next to the elevator shaft, he could hear the sounds coming from the machine. He listened intently for a few floors before he heard the audible 'ping' of the opening doors. Stopping by the door, he opened it a crack to peer through. Sure enough, he saw two familiar figures walking away from him down the hall. They stopped outside a random door and the taller of the two pulled out a key and unlocked the door before disappearing inside.

Eiri smirked as he waited. He decided to wait until the other male left before entering and seeing the boy before he left. He did not want to feed off of him any more tonight, but that didn't mean he didn't want to taste those lips again. Putting two people in a trance at once was too risky.

After almost a half an hour past, Eiri became agitated. An unnerving thought struck him. Were they roommates? Lovers? He could feel the anger rising inside of him. He stepped through the door and walked down the hall towards the apartment. He took note of the door number before retreated towards the elevator. Reaching the ground floor, he made his way towards his car.

_At least I know where he lives now. I will find out about their 'relationship' later._

He entered his house at a little after one in the morning. Although it was still early and he was still hungry, he did not want to find more food for the night. Even though he tried telling himself it was because he was too tired, he knew he was lying to himself. He just did not want anything to replace the heavenly taste that lingered in his mouth. As much as he tried, he could not think of anything that tasted better than that boy's blood. He smirked. _Or his lips_.

He left the house dark as he walked into his study and sat down on his leather office chair. He turned on the laptop in front of him and watched the blinking lights. His mind began to wander once again and he couldn't help but scold himself. There was no way he could keep the boy. Once his sire returned, he would reclaim what he feels is his and would destroy anything that Eiri cherished. That was just the way Yuki was.

When he was sixteen, Tohma had taken Eiri to New York in order to study. Kitazawa Yuki had been his tutor and Eiri found himself head-over-heals for the older man. He was a naive teenager and felt that Yuki was everything he could ever hope for. The two soon became lovers, despite Tohma's admanant protests. When Eiri and Tohma were called back to Japan four years later, Yuki joined them. It was on Eiri's twentieth birthday when Yuki showed his true colors. It was on that night Eiri died. Yuki claimed him and made him...something else. He could remember the experience vividly, as much as his mind screamed at the memories. Before dawn on that night, Yuki had left him alone. Eiri soon found that it took a lot of energy for a vampire to turn a human and Yuki had most likely gone away to rest.

Tohma had found Eiri that morning, curled up on the floor, his face and neck splattered with blood. It did not take long for Tohma to realize what had transpired and immediately decided to find a way to kill Yuki. Eiri was horrified at that thought. Even though he was betrayed, he could not help but to love the older man. These desires were multiplied by the now-instinctual desire to protect his sire. After much argument, Tohma conceded, vowing to use all of his power to protect his young brother-in-law.

That had been three years ago. Eiri was a quick learner and became independent within a few months. Although Yuki would not think twice about killing, Eiri refused to drain a human life. It wasn't long before he realized that the love he had for his former tutor was nothing more than a childhood infatuation. He came to terms with that too late, however. Yuki would never let him go.

The dull beeping of his computer brought Eiri back to reality. Clicking his mouse over the screen, he brought up a blank word document. Allowing the stories in his mind to take form, he found himself drowning in his words well into the morning.

TBC...

* * *

_A.N. Well, there you have it. I will have the next chapter out soon. C&C appreciated, so please review!_

_By the way, I do know that the legal drinking age in Japan is 20 and Shuichi is only 18, but I needed it for this story. I didn't want to make Shuichi any older than I had. I figure that this is an AU anyway, so it doesn't matter :P_


	3. Chapter 3

_A.N. Once again, I thank everyone for their support of this story. I really wanted to make a good vampfic, seeing as how many of the ones posted were never finished! I couldn't help but get frustrated with the abandoned stories, since I like this type, and I hope I can make up for it in my own way. Enjoy!_

XXX

Shuichi awoke bright and early Monday morning. The day before served as his only day off every week and he took advantage of it to the fullest. In other words, he slept until well past noon before heading to the usual club to practice his arrangements for a few hours. Relaxed and refreshed, he went through his morning routine to prepare for his busy day.

Monday mornings were the busiest at work. The coffee shop was bombarded with early-risers desperate for a source of imitation energy. Shuichi, always the optimistic one, never failed to light up the room and give customers one more reason to smile. People were naturally drawn to his positive and energetic attitude, which was nothing short of a gift when it came to entertaining his nightly audiences.

By the time twelve o'clock rolled around, Shuichi was slumped over the counter, his adrenaline rush depleted. The rest of the day would be predictably slow, allowing him the much-needed time to write some new lyrics. Because they often entertained the same audience full of fans, he felt that it was his duty to continuously brain-storm new material.

This thought crossing his mind, he reached underneath the counter and retrieved his small, spiral-bound notebook. Flipping open to a clean page, he began pouring words written in his sloppy handwriting.

Losing himself in his self-proclaimed 'masterpiece', he did not notice the shadow falling over him. The person smiled and cleared her throat. "I'll have a coffee, black."

Shuichi looked up with a start. His eyes falling on a familiar face, he smiled brightly. "Maiko! It's been so long!"

Maiko face broke with a smile so similar to Shuichi's that anyone who paid attention would notice that they had to be related. She reached out and ruffled his already-disheveled hair and laughed. "Too long, Shu. How have things been going?"

Not needing any more prompting, Shuichi immediately ranted about how great his boss was and how he liked his job. He told her about their 'legion' of fans that came to see them two or three times a week and about how well they perform. He spoke brightly about Hiro and their ever-present desire to become rock stars. All of this flooded from his mouth with only minimal breathing and much excitement. After all, he had not seen his family in six months and missed them dearly. It would have been easier to visit with them if they did not live in Kyoto.

The whole time Shuichi spoke Maiko's attention was never disrupted. She loved her older brother and had so much faith in him. She could tell that he was content with his life now, but his eyes held a almost indiscernible shadow. She knew that he must be worn out from all of his work and disappointed that he and Hiro were little better-off than they were when they graduated high school. Despite this, however, she knew that if anyone had it in them to succeed, it was her brother. She had vowed a long time ago to support him every chance she had.

"...and so we have another show tonight at nine and you just HAVE to come and see how good we've gotten." Shuichi blurted the last part out, suddenly out of breath.

Maiko giggled at the slight pink tinge to her brother's cheeks from his exertion. "Of course I'll come tonight. I am only in town for a couple of days and I wouldn't miss it for the world." Shuichi smiled. Hiding her smile and donning a business-like expression, she continued. "Now, Shindo-san, may I have my coffee, or will I have to demand to see your manager?"

Face falling, Shuichi whipped around and pulled out a styrofoam cup and filled it to the rim with fresh black coffee. Covering it with a lid, he turned back to his sister who laughed at his antics. She reached into into her purse to retrieve a few bills, but was stopped when a hand covered hers. "It's on me, Maiko."

Giving him an appreciative smile, she nodded and accepted her cup. Stepping back, she began walking towards the door. Pulling the door open, she looked back over her shoulder. "I'll see you tonight, Shu!" She walked out, leaving the bell to jingle after her.

Shuichi sighed and began wiping the counters contently. Lost in thought, he didn't notice Yukata approach him until it was too late. Intent on startling him, she leaned down close to his ear. "Don't forget to pay for that coffee, Shindo-kun."

XXX

_"What?"_

"Is that any way to answer your phone, Eiri-san?" Tohma enjoyed provoking his brother-in-law. To the overconfident company president, Eiri was just about as threatening as an angry kitten.

_"What do you want now, Tohma?"_

"Straight to the point as always, right, Eiri-san?" A grunt was heard over the phone, so he continued. "I am going to look at a new talent tonight as a request from Sakano-san. I would like to to accompany me."

_"And why would I want to be seen in public with you?"_

He laughed. "Because no matter how much you would like to deny it, my company is better than none at all." There was no response and Tohma took this as an encouraging sign. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Besides, you don't know when he's coming back, and you know full well that you won't have another opportunity for an enjoyable night for quite a while."

There was silence for several moments. _"Fine then. When and where do you want me to meet you?"_

Tohma smiled, pleased. "Meet me at the office at nine o'clock. We'll go from here."

The phone disconnected without a response, but none was needed. Tohma hung up his end and leaned back in his chair. He understood that Eiri's behavior was nothing more than a complicated defense-mechanism caused by his lifestyle. Tohma cared for him more than anyone else in his life, short of his wife, and cursed Yuki every day for robbing Eiri of his life.

Decided to get to more immediate matters, he leaned forward and pressed the intercom button on his office phone.

_"Yes, Seguchi-san?"_

"Yes, you may send him in now."

_"Very good, Sir."_

Tohma reclined in his chair and folded his hands comfortably across his lap, patiently awaiting his subordinates' appearance. Within moments, the large oak doors leading into his office opened hesitantly and a dark-haired man looked inside. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Yes, Sakano-san, come in." Tohma gestured towards a chair across from him. "Have a seat."

The nervous-looking man quickly took his seat and pushed the wire-framed glasses further up on the bridge of his nose. Clasping his hands together tightly, he waited quietly for his superior to speak.

Tohma leaned forward and leaned his elbows on his desk. Clearing his throat, he began. "So, Sakano-san. I just wanted to clear a few things up with you. This small group you tell me of, you think that they have what it takes?"

Sakano did not hesitate before he nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, Seguchi-san, I believe so. I may not have your degree of expertise, but I can pick up on the untapped talent these two young men possess. With a little direction, I believe that they can be very beneficial for the company."

Tohma nodded and laced his fingers together. "That may be, however, I currently have my hands full with our newest band, Ask. If I were to approve of this, you would bare the responsibility of producing them. I will have K-san assist you, of course. Since Sakuma-san has been in America, I am afraid of what damage his free time will cause. Do you accept this position?"

Another vigorous nod. "Of course, Seguchi-san. I will not let you down."

"I hope not, Sakano-san. For your sake."

Sakano took this as a dismissal and stood to take his leave. Giving a polite bow, Sakano reassured the president, "Once you hear the boy sing, you will see where I get my confidence." He walked out of the door without another word.

Tohma sighed deeply. He turned his chair so that he could gaze out of his wall-to-wall window at the Tokyo skyline. It was truly a beautiful day.

XXX

The day seemed to drag on forever for the pink-haired ball of energy and eight o'clock could not have come any sooner. Seeing the clock, he nearly jumped for joy. No matter how many times they performed, the excitement he felt never dwindled. Leaping out of his stool behind the counter, he ripped off his apron and folded it haphazardly before replacing it beneath the counter. Skidding across the floor, he grabbed his jacket from the hook beside the cabinet and put it on quickly. Rounding the corner, he caught Yukata's attention and waved her goodbye. Amused by the scene, she smiled and waved back, shaking her head.

Shuichi burst through the door and took off in a sprint. Because he had worked so late, he had less than an hour before he had to meet Hiro at the club. That did not allow him much time to shower and dress before had to leave.

He made it to his apartment in record time and quickly stripped of his work uniform to get into the shower. When he was washed, he dressed in one of his stage outfits, which consisted of his black leather pants and a long-sleeve fishnet shirt over a plain black sleeveless tank. He slipped his feet into heavy black boots with silver straps. The final touch was his favorite - a black leather dog collar buckled snug around his neck. Stopping in front of his mirror, he ran his fingers through his hair. He was one of those few lucky guys to have naturally straight hair and did not need to do much for it to look good. Debating quickly, he pulled out a short black stick and lined his eyes carefully. Although he did not like wearing any makeup, eyeliner never failed to make his eyes shine.

Throwing the stick on his bed, he glanced at the clock. It was quarter to nine and he had no time to waste. It would take at least fifteen minutes to get there. Throwing on his jacket and pocketing his keys, he ran out of the apartment.

XXX

The club was already crowded by the time he got there. Looking at his wrist, he cursed himself for forgetting his watch. Judging by the loitering people, he figured that he was cutting it close, if he wasn't already late. Pushing himself through the line, he approached the bouncer. Once the overly-muscular man caught sight of him, he was ushered inside and made his way towards the back-stage area.

'Back-stage' was a little bit of an exaggeration. It merely consisted of a short hallway with a storage closet off to the side where they locked up their equipment. Once Shuichi approached, he immediately spotted Hiro standing near the stage with Ayaka. He had to marvel at his friend's girlfriend. She was not beautiful, but was somewhat pretty. She had silky brown hair that reached the small of her back and eyes that matched. She had soft features and a conservative smile. Even though her appearance was easy on the eyes, even for Shuichi - who was openly homosexual- he could not help but think that Hiro, whom Shuichi considered very attractive, looked out of place standing next to her. Sure, he had encouraged his friend to pursue her, fearing that Hiro was lonely, but to see them together was...odd. He shrugged it off, telling himself that it was just because he had a preference towards guys.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he approached his friend and smiled. "Ready to go, Hiro?"

Hiro's head snapped up, not realizing that the couple was being watched. "Sure, buddy. I've just been waiting for you. Everything's already set up."

"Thanks, Hiro." He turned his head towards Ayaka. "Nice to see you again, Ayaka."

The brunette looked at him, a careful smile on her face. "Nice to see you too."

Hiro glanced at his watch and cursed quietly. Turning towards Ayaka, he gave her a quick hug. "We gotta get on the stage now before the owner hunts us down."

She smiled and nodded before releasing herself from the hug. "I will be in the audience. Look for me?"

Hiro smiled. "Of course."

Shuichi watched as Ayaka disappeared around the corner before turning back towards his friend. His face held an irrepressible smile as he took hold of his friend's hand and led him towards the stage. "Let do it!"

XXX

"I don't know what the hell possessed me into coming here with you," Eiri said bitterly, thumb and forefinger gripping the bridge of his nose in a fruitless attempt to stop the impending headache.

Tohma leaned back against the bar as he studied the other blonde. "It's not as bad as you make it out to be. If all else fails, at least I got you out of the house for a while. It's not healthy to stay cooped up all of the time."

Eiri grunted. "It's not like I'm not used to it. I'm a writer, that's what writers do."

"You can't fool me, Eiri. I know why you disassociate yourself, and that reason is currently in America."

Eiri did not respond as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. His nerves were wearing thin and the smell of sweat and blood were overpowering. He could not bring himself to hunt the night before, for reasons he could not determine. Being in such close proximity to countless pulsing veins was much too tempting and he was not the kind of person to lose hold of himself, especially in public.

A few moments passed without a word between the two before Tohma turned his head as if to say something. Before he could utter a word, however, the flashing lights that roamed over the crowd suddenly stilled and focused on the stage. He could make out two figures on the stage, and could see them more clearly as the overhead lights focused on them. The first thing he noticed was that they seemed very young, just as Sakano had warned him. The taller of the two appeared to be more composed than his grinning counterpart. The brunette slung the strap of his guitar over his shoulder and waited patiently for their introduction.

The smaller boy (with pink hair?!) stood proudly at the front of the stage with a microphone in his hand. Tohma could practically feel the energy he gave off just by standing there. He knew that all eyes were on the boy, and could see why people were drawn to him. Quickly looking over his features, he was amused. _He looks almost just like him._

The boy waved to the audience and lifted the microphone to his lips. "Welcome back everyone (cheers). For those of you who've never heard of us, behind me is guitarist extraordinaire, Nakano Hiroshi (screams and cheers) and I am Shindo Shuichi (more screams). We are _Bad Luck_!" Shuichi smiled and waited patiently for the crowd to die down before he continued. "We thank all of you for supporting our amateur group, and we hope you enjoy our music."

Tohma had come to the Live House on several occasions to see new bands. The club was useful in the aspect that they welcomed amateur talent to perform for the crowd several days a week, so Tohma usually didn't have to look very far when he was searching for new musicians. He had to admit, even though he had been here countless times, he had never seen the audience so riled up about amateurs. _This may prove interesting._

Shuichi walked over to his synthesizer and pressed a few buttons to start the program. When everything was ready, he took his stance and began to sing.

_**Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze ni hakisutete**_

_**hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa shigunaru wa kizuato dake nokoshite-iku**_

_**madoronda noizu ga asu o kenshi-saru mae ni**_

_**Yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto o oikakete**_

Eiri, who previously hadn't even looked towards the stage, lifted his head up at the sound of the beautiful voice coming through the speakers. What he saw caused his heart to skip a beat. Time seemed to slow as he gazed upon the very object of his infatuation. He was also amazed to realized that he had never heart his angel speak before.

_**doko ni mo tomaranai**_

_**mitasanai Emotion shikato kimete oikose yo**_

_**furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte**_

_**tadoritsuku basho e I Want to New World**_

Eiri quickly schooled his features so that his shock was not so obvious as the boy continued to sing and dance on the stage. The boy truly had a good voice and it made Eiri want him even more.

Although he was emersed in the events on stage, Tohma did not miss the expression on his brother-in-laws face before it quickly vanished. He was intrigued instantly. Looking back towards the stage, he began to think. _He seemed to recognize the boy. No...more than that._ He knew that Eiri did not have friends, so how did he know the singer? Possibly a food source, but Eiri was usually emotionless towards people he actually remembered. It did not make sense.

_**Mein sutoriito ni kizuma semegi-atta namida ga**_

_**ima mo kikoeru kutsuon o hisumaseru**_

_**doko ni mo tomaranai**_

_**mitasanai Emotion shikato kimete oikose yo**_

_**furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o neratte**_

_**todoritsuku basho e I Want to New World**_

The song came to a close and the crowd cheered loudly. He turned towards Eiri and searched his face. "So, what do you think of them?"

Eiri maintained a passive expression as he extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray sitting on the counter. Blowing smoke off to the side, he shrugged. "The lyrics suck." Gulping the remainder of his beer, he stood up. "I'm going home."

For once, Tohma did not try to stop him. This curious revelation intrigued him and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. It did help matters that the band was actually good. In fact, as he watched the young man perform, he could not help but notice striking similarities between him and his old bandmate, Sakuma Ryuichi. Not only did they look startlingly similar, they both had the same passion. He smiled, his mind already forming a plan.

XXX

"That was awesome," Shuichi exclaimed, bouncing off of the stage with Hiro half an hour later.

"It really was," a voice spoke from behind him.

Shuichi whipped around to face whoever it was. "Maiko! You came!"

Maiko smiled and hugged him tightly. "Of course, I said I would, didn't I?" He nodded enthusiastically. She turned her attention to Hiro. "Hi, Hiro-kun. Tired of taking care of my brother yet?"

"Nah," he said, ruffling the singer's damp hair. "The little baka has actually become somewhat independent nowadays," he teased.

"Hey!" Shuichi pouted. "Don't talk about me like I'm some little kid or something. You two are so mean when you gang up together."

Maiko and Hiro began joking around, but were interrupted when a throat cleared behind them. "I'd hate to interrupt, but I wished to speak with Shindo-san and Nakano-san if they have a moment."

The three turned and Shuichi almost had a heart-attack when he saw the man standing before him. "S-Seguchi Tohma?" The blonde nodded with a smile. Shuichi was bewildered. "_THE _Seguchi Tohma...of Nittle Grasper and NG?!"

"Yes." Shuichi's mouth dropped open in shock. Seeing that he would need to lead the conversation, he began again. "I came here because one of my producers have heard of you and felt you may be good enough to promote. Seeing you tonight, I believe that he was right."

Hiro was the first one to snap out of his daze from being in the presence of an idol. He bowed respectfully. "It is really an honor for someone like you to take an interest in us. We are only amateurs, after all."

Tohma waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense, everyone starts somewhere. What I would like to know is - would you two like to come down to the studio this week. I would like to have you evaluated by a couple of my employees."

Neither one of them spoke until Maiko grew frustrated and smacked Shuichi on the back of his head. Slightly dazed, he fumbled with his words. "O-Of course, Seguchi-san. We can be there whenever you want."

Tohma expected this response and was please. "Very well then. Why don't you come by Wednesday afternoon, say, around two o'clock. You can meet me in studio 2 on the third floor. Is there anything you want to ask before then?"

Shuichi quickly shook his head. "No, sir, not immediately. We'll be there."

"Good. I will take my leave now. I will see you two on Wednesday." They watched as Tohma walked away and disappeared into the crowd.

Maiko quickly glomped the two men, hugging them in a vise-like embrace. "You did it! I can't believe it!"

Shuichi scowled playfully and pulled away. "What do you mean, _' I can't believe it'_? Have you no faith in us?"

"Of course I do," she smiled. "I just didn't think that that I would be witness to such a momentous occasion," she threw her head back and placed the back of her hand on her forehead dramatically. "Now my big brother is gonna become a famous rock star and will forget all about little ol' me."

Shuichi slapped her arm gently. "Don't be stupid, of course I wouldn't." The two siblings grinned at each other affectionately.

Hiro finally snapped out of it and regarded Shuichi seriously. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves just yet, okay Shu? Let's wait and see what happens. He didn't actually offer us a contract right-out, we will have to work hard for it."

Shuichi became uncharacteristically solemn. "I know, Hiro. But I know we can do it. I know that we can work hard enough to make it happen."

"Hiro-kun?" The three turned towards the timid voice. Ayaka stood at the far end, her hands clasped behind her back. When she saw that she had his attention, she approached Hiro and took his hand in hers. "Is it true?"

Hiro smiled. "Yes, it's true. We have an appointment on Wednesday with the president of NG studios."

"That's wonderful," she smiled. "You definitely deserve it." She placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Do you want to head home now? I am sure you must be tired."

Hiro glanced at Shuichi, who looked a little deflated. Hiro knew just what his friend needed. "Sorry, Ayaka-chan, but Shu and I were planning on celebrating tonight. Why don't we go out to dinner tomorrow night?"

Ayaka's face fell but she hid it quickly with a strained smile. "That sounds nice. I guess I will head back home now. Call me tomorrow," she added before walking away.

"I gotta get going too. I have school in the morning." Maiko gave her brother a quick peck on the forehead before waving goodbye to Hiro and walking through the 'exit' door.

Hiro draped his arm over Shuichi's shoulder. "So, buddy, why don't we grab some drinks and head back to your apartment to get wasted?"

"Sure thing, Hiro. Let's go!"

XXX

Ayaka trudged through the park slowly, not really thinking about where she was going. She knew that she should call a cab and head home, but she was much to angry for that. Despite her calm and polite exterior, she knew that she was the type of person prone to fits of jealousy and hatred.

And she hated Shindo.

Sure, she could be understanding, seeing as how Hiro had known him for longer than her. Hell, they have been practically attached to the hip since grade school. Even considering this, she hated the fact that he seemed to steal the attention that should have been focused on her. Even though she had to _work _just for a simple loving gesture, Shuichi received it without even trying.

She did not blame Hiro, not at all. He was just being mis-led. She was not a stupid girl, she saw the way her boyfriend looked at the pink-haired idiot. She also knew that the singer was attracted to the same sex. One would be foolish not to see the implications, and she was determined to keep Hiro's affections. She hated the fact that Hiro always seemed to integrate mentions of Shuichi into their private conversations. Hell, she knew more about Shuichi than she did her own boyfriend. His likes, dislikes, their common goals. She would be intensely aggressive if she felt that Hiro was aware of the way he acted. But no, he seemed oblivious to the fact. She could, and would, forgive him for that.

She had to find a way to monopolize Hiro's time. It would be difficult, seeing as how they would be working closely together, even more-so than usual. Maybe, if she planned enough, there would be a way.

XXX

Eiri was, in few words, disturbed. His mind was reeling with thoughts and mental images that he would like to forget.

_Shindo Shuichi._

_Shuichi._

That was the boy's name. It sounded like music to his ears, and he hated himself for it. He knew that it was no use, he could never indulge in his fantasies. Oh, yes. He had fantasies. The performance he witnessed served only to further his desperation. Seeing that lithe body, the way the bright lights illuminated the thin veil of sweat on his skin and making it glow, only brought thoughts of all of the, more pleasurable, ways he could make that body sweat...

"Ugh," he grumbled to himself. _I have to stop thinking that way._

He rounded the corner of the park and decided to walk back towards his house. His mind was jumping from one thing to another without direction until a sweat smell filled his nostrils. Looking up, his ears could pick up the sound of gentle footsteps. Stopping his movement, he waited for the person to come around the corner. His fear of meeting the boy in the state he was in was quickly dismissed when he decided that the scent was from a female. When his eyes found the slim figure walking towards him, he stilled himself, waiting for her to get close enough. His night without food was tormenting him and he was hungry enough to not think twice about taking her.

Quickly using his heightened senses to scan the area to find that it was empty save for the solitary human, he watched as she took a step past him, not lifting her gaze. Stepping from behind her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and spun her around. Their eyes locked and she became still, her eyes blank. None too gently, he pulled her close and sunk his canines into her neck.

TBC...

* * *

_A.N. Well, another chapter finished. The lyrics were from exerts from "Rage Beat" (of course). I am sorry they are not accurate, but I found them on an anime website full of lyrics. I also apologize if I keep slipping in and out of honorifics, it is a dirty habit of mine so I hope you can bare with me. I hope that everyone continues to enjoy this story. Let my know by Reviewing!_


	4. Chapter 4

A.N. Thanks, everyone, for your support and reviews, I appreciate it a lot!

* * *

Wednesday morning started the same as any other. Shuichi showered and dressed before heading to the coffee shop. The usual morning crowd came and went as expected. For Shuich, however, the day was anything but ordinary. He could hardly contain his excitement as he watched the clock tick by. He did not want to be over-confident, but he had been waiting for this day for as long as he could remember. He felt nothing but pride and he couldn't help but inwardly scream that he had finally gotten his foot in the door and would soon be living out his dream.

Yukata laughed quietly as she watched the dreamy expression on Shuichi's face. She had only know the boy for the past year, but he never failed to leave an impression on everyone he meets, and she was no exception. His outrageous hair and vibrant personality always seemed to make the work-day more...interesting. People often commented on his cheerfulness and she new that he was one of the reasons why so many became regular customers. He was truly a unique individual. He had told her about his meeting with some music company and, although she was happy for him, she couldn't help feeling a little sad. Although he told her that nothing was guaranteed, she had a feeling that this was the last day he would be working for her. She knew that she would miss him dearly.

Shuichi continued to serve customers and clean tables for several hours, managing to break only a few mugs (which was saying something, considering how clumsy he usually was). When he glanced up at the clock, his heart stopped as he realized it was already one-thirty. The tinkling of bells brought his attention towards the front of the shop and, sure enough, Hiro stood there with a big grin on his face.

Smiling back, Shuichi ran around the counter and pulled off his apron. He looked towards Yukata to find her smiling at him. "Sorry for having to leave so early, Yukata-san."

She shook her head. "No need. Just promise me one thing, Shindo-san."

He cocked his head at her, confused. "Huh?"

She laughed. "Promise that I will get front-row tickets to your first concert when you become a hit."

He smiled and walked over to hug her. "I don't even know if they will sign us yet, silly. I don't want to get ahead of myself."

"Nonsense," she ruffled his hair. "No one can say no to you. Now get your butt out of here before you're late."

Shuichi nodded his head before grabbing his messenger bag from underneath the counter and running over to greet his friend. "Hey, Hiro!"

Hiro smiled and playfully knocked him on the head. "Hey, buddy. You ready to go?"

Shuichi nodded and the two made their way outside towards Hiro's awaiting motorcycle. They climbed on and secured their helmets. "Hold on, Shu."

The bike roared to life and Shuichi wrapped his arms tightly around Hiro's firm waist as they tore off down the street.

XXX

As many times as he had seen the outside of the building, Shuichi had never really been inside NG productions before. It always seemed a forbidden paradise to him, somewhere he could only dream to be permitted access. Yet here they were, standing before the coveted glass doors leading inside. Shuichi felt as if his heart was trying to escape his chest and he tried to calm his nerve.

Hiro understood how his friend felt. He, too, was starting to think that this day would never come. He smiled, looking at Shuichi from behind. _Even if it never did, I would still be here for you, right by your side._ Clearing his throat, he spoke up. "You know, Shu, we're not gonna get very far if you can't even walk inside."

This seemed to snap Shuichi to his senses and he jumped. Without looking back, he started towards the doors. "Come on, Hiro, we don't want to be late!" Hiro laughed, but followed his friend into the building.

The building was very modern-looking. The floors were marble and the lobby was very open. A small lounge area was off to the side, encompassed by a few plush chairs and a couch. There was a large television against the wall tuned into the local music station. Shuichi wondered how many bands were signed to this particular label, seeing as how it was the most sought-after in Japan. It was then he realized that they would need to work harder than they ever had before to compensate for the competition.

Looking to the other side, he spotted a wide hallway just ahead of them that led to several elevators. Catching Hiro's eye, they both made their way to an elevator and waited for it to arrive. After what felt like an eternity to the boys, the doors finally opened and they stepped inside. Hiro quickly pressed the '3' and they rode up in silence. Neither of them felt the need to talk, as their nerves began taking their toll.

Reaching their floor, the quickly followed the sign that led to the studios. They found studio 2 with little trouble and stepped inside. There were already two people waiting for them, sitting at a small white table. The two men stood as the doors closed behind the two newcomers. Shuichi took a minute to study the two. The larger man had long blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. He wore a white button-down dress shirt and a pair of khaki's. The man was obviously American, but that was not what surprised him. Rather, it was the holsters tucked beneath his armpits, complete with a gun, that worried him. Looking into the man's blue eyes, he felt some of his tension slip away. He did not see anything threatening there.

The other man was a strange one. He looked typically Japanese with black hair and dark brown eyes behind framed glasses. He wore a dark blue suit with a black tie and white undershirt. What was strange about him was how he seemed to constantly twitch. His hands were clasped in front of him as he wrung them together. He seemed very jumpy for reasons Shuichi could not put his finger on.

The blonde stepped forward and offered his hand to the two, a very American gesture. Shuichi graciously shook his hand before giving a small bow. "You must be Shindo-san and Nakano-san, correct?" Shuichi and Hiro nodded in unison. Pointing to the shorter man, he continued. "This is Sakano-san, your producer and I," he said pointing to himself, "am Claude Winchester, but you can call me K. I am your new manager."

"It's nice to meet you K-san, Sakano-san. We're really happy to be here," Shuichi offered politely. He looked around the room and noticed that someone was missing. "Where is Seguchi-san, I thought he would be here?"

"He is taking an important call right now. He is enlisting a new synth player for your group," K informed them.

Shuichi was taken aback. "A new member? But I thought that Seguchi-san liked us the way we were."

Sakano spoke up for the first time, and his voice sounded as nervous as he looked. "Yes, but Seguchi-san felt that your band was somewhat lacking. He felt that a new member would round your group out nicely. He has quite the talented ear for music."

Shuichi was flustered and about to retort when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Looking over to Hiro, the taller boy shook his head. "It'll be okay, Shu. They must know what they're talking about. Let's just see how it goes."

At that moment the door opened behind them and Tohma walked in, a calm smile on his face. "Well, I'm glad everyone made it on time."

Hiro and Shuichi gave a small bow. Shuichi, as politely as he could muster, looked Tohma in the eye. "Sakano-san told us we are going to have an additional member?"

Tohma nodded. "Yes, I would like you to concentrate your efforts on your singing and songwriting alone. I do not want you to be overburdened by being responsible for the arrangements as well. This will allow us to get the best effect from your voice."

Shuichi's shoulders slumped, defeated. What Tohma had said made a lot of sense, and he did not like it at all. It had always been him and Hiro, the two of them were a team. He could only think that an outsider would complicate things, but he did not want to argue with his future boss. "When do we meet him?"

"Tomorrow. He has classes in the day and is currently working on his assignments."

Shuichi was surprised. "School? Is he in college?"

Tohma continued to smile. "No, he is in High School. He is only sixteen."

Shuichi's mouth went slack. _A little kid? He wanted to stick them with some little kid?!_

Hiro sensed his friends' astonishment and felt the same way, although he hid it better. "You feel that he would benefit our band?"

"Yes. Although he is young, he is very talented. He is my cousin, after all."

It was Hiro's turn to look surprised. He realized that Tohma must have thought at least a little confident of their success if he was entrusting the group with his family member.

A throat cleared behind them before K spoke. "I'd hate to interrupt, but perhaps we should continue with this little audition."

Tohma nodded his consent. Hiro and Shuichi were ushered into the sound booth. K stood on the other side of the glass and pressed a button on the console, allowing them to hear him. "I know we don't have any of your music programmed on the synthesizer, so you will have to make due with the guitar alone."

The two nodded. It wouldn't have been the first time they had to do it without background music. Shuichi was relieved that they had practiced the same way in the past. Looking towards Hiro, who had already situated his guitar, he picked up the microphone. Hiro began strumming the strings and Shuichi allowed his voice to fill the small room.

XXX

"I can't believe it!" Taki bellowed, slamming his fist on the table.

Across from him, Ma and Ken glanced at each other, concerned about their friend's outburst. They were sitting at a table outside of a cafe across the street from NG Studios taking a late lunch when Taki spotted a familiar pink-haired singer along with his friend entering the studio, looking very pleased with themselves. They could only come up with one conclusion.

Taki clenched his fist and scowled. "I heard that Seguchi-san was enlisting a new group, but I didn't think it would be those hacks."

Ma-kun, who was looking increasingly worried, tried to console his bandmate. "You don't know that yet, Taki. Nothing was made official yet." When he received no response, he continued carefully. "Besides, even if it is true, why not give them a chance. We've been to the club when they were playing, and they aren't that bad."

Taki immediately got to his feet, slamming against the table as he did so. "Not that bad?! They have no right being at NG! I won't stand competition from a talentless bitch like him," he growled. Without saying another word, he began walking towards the crosswalk. Ma and Ken did not make a move. They looked at each other, but Ken simply shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat. Ma, who had always been the more rational one, simply sighed. He knew that there were many reasons why Taki was angry, but none of them were reasons enough for this degree of hatred.

Taki cursed under his breath as he waited for the light to change. His mind raced as he thought about Bad Luck's singer. Although he denied it even to himself, he felt a growing obsession with the boy. He was attracted to him more than anyone he had ever met, but that only fueled anger because he was consistently turned away. The fact that Shuichi had made it into NG without taking him up on his offer angered him beyond compare. He was determined to break the boy.

The light finally signaled him to walk and he stalked across the street. Reaching the other side, he did not pay attention to where he was going, and he ended up bumping into someone. Snarling, he whipped around intending on snapping at the person when he suddenly stopped upon seeing her. He looked at her, a confused expression on his face. "Ayaka?"

Ayaka was dumbfounded. "Taki?"

Both realizing their similar states, they began laughing. Ayaka reached forward to pull Taki into a tight hug. "I haven't seen you since high school! How have you been?"

Taki pulled back, a small smile on his face. "I've been good. You?"

Ayaka straightened out her blouse and smiled back at him. "I'm fine. I was just headed to NG to see my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?"

Ayaka blushed. "Yeah. Nakano Hiroshi. I started going out with him about a month ago. He's here for an audition."

Upon hearing that name, Taki bristled. "Yeah, I saw him walking in a while ago with Shindo."

Ayaka frowned. "I'm not hear to see Shindo." She spat the name as if it left a sour taste in her mouth. "I couldn't care less about that brat."

Taki looked intrigued. "You don't like Shindo either?"

She shook her head. "What I wouldn't give to make sure he keeps his paws off Hiro. I see the way they always hang off of each other. It's sickening. Now that they may be working together, I know that Hiro will pay even less attention to me." She scowled, venom lacing every word.

Taki allowed an evil smirk to form on his lips. "What do you say to a nice cup of coffee. We have a lot to catch up on. My treat."

Ayaka was taken aback at first, but upon seeing the expression on her old friend's face, she immediately understood. Stepping forward, she slipped her arm around Taki's and they began to walk. "I'm sure Hiro will be okay without me for now. After all, we _do _have a lot to talk about."

XXX

"Well, I think that takes care of everything," Tohma stated, shuffling the signed papers into a manilla folder.

Shuichi could barely contain his excitement enough to keep his feet on the ground. Trying to expell some of his energy, he danced from one foot to the next with an occasional bounce. Hiro rolled his eyes at his friend, but could not suppress the huge smile on his own face as he watched Tohma place their contracts on top of a small pile on the corner of his desk. "Is there anything else we need to do today, Seguchi-san?" Hiro asked.

Tohma sat down in his leather chair and rested his elbows on the desk. "For now, no. I will expect you to be here tomorrow first thing in the morning. You will be meeting with your third member and you can get a feel for him."

Shuichi snapped out of his daydream and bowed quickly several times. "Thank you so, so much, Seguchi-san! I can't believe we are finally here."

"Don't thank me yet, Shindo-san," Tohma stated, suddenly serious. "I expect only the best from my musicians, and I will not let my company suffer from the hands of people who expect success to be handed to them. I will be keeping a close eye on the two of you for quite some time, but I assure you that every band has to be evaluated carefully. There is a lot of hard work that goes into becoming a household name."

Shuichi felt the weight of Tohma's words and, although he sometimes didn't seem it, he took them very seriously. Even so, he had no doubt in his mind that they would make Tohma proud. "We won't let you down, Sir."

Tohma smiled, expecting the response. "Very good, then. I have other appointments today, so if you have no other questions, I will see you two in the morning."

Hiro and Shuichi shook their heads and made their way out of the office.

XXX

Shuichi was practically bouncing down the street as he made his way to the coffee shop. Although he was a little sad for having to quit his long-time job, he felt that Yukata somehow knew it was going to happen. She always seemed to have the utmost faith in him.

Reaching the shop, he entered and immediately spotted the tall woman behind the counter. Hearing the bell ring, Yukata looked up and smiled after seeing the boy standing there. She also noticed the radiant glow in his eyes, and she knew what that meant. He walked towards the counter and slumped into the stool in front of her. "Ask me if something good happened?"

Yukata couldn't help but laugh at the dreamy look on his face. She decided to play along. "Alright, Shu-chan. Did something good happen?"

He started to bounce in his seat like a five-year-old. "Not something _good_, something _great_! We got signed!"

Yukata fought back the twinge of pain that tugged at her chest. "I always knew you would do it, Shuichi. It was only a matter of time. When do they want you there?"

Shuichi deflated. Looking up guiltily, he met her gaze. "Tomorrow morning. There's a lot we need to get started with."

Understanding why he was sad, he reached forward and ruffled his disheveled hair. "Don't worry about the job, kid. There were a lot more people in this world cut out to be waiters than singers. You're special, Shuichi. Do what you need to do."

He lept up from his stool and leaned over the counter to give her a bone-crunching hug. "Thank you so much, Yukata-san."

"No need to thank me, Shuichi. Just don't forget about us 'little people' when you're big and famous."

He pulled back and regarded her seriously. "I would never."

XXX

Fujisaki Suguru. Sixteen years old. Five foot, three inches tall. Dark green hair, brown eyes. Cousin of the famous Seguchi Tohma. All in all, one cocky brat.

That said, Shuichi could not deny the fact that Suguru was a very talented musician. He sat on the uncomfortable metal chair, scowling, as the younger boy's fingers glided effortlessly over the keys of his instrument. He never felt the need to keep secret the pride he held in his own skills with the synthesizer, but hearing it being played by someone with such an ability...he could not compare to it.

He now knew why Tohma preferred for him to concentrate on his vocals.

After the song was finished, Suguru stepped back and regarded his small audience. Sakano-san immediately began spewing praise somewhere along the lines of '_of course, genius runs in the family'_.

Hiro looked towards Shuichi, a concerned look in his eyes. He knew how particular his friend was with his music and was bracing himself for an outburst. He was surprised, to say the least, when Shuichi simply smiled and nodded.

Before either one of them could utter a word, K stepped forward. "Alright, everybody, enough fooling around. We have a song to rehearse, so get your butts into the sound booth.

Mostly out of fear of the eccentric American, the three wasted no time getting set up. Within fifteen minutes, they were going through their initial run of their first song, _Rage Beat_.

XXX

Tohma stepped out of his office a little after four in the afternoon. Although he did not let it show on his face, he was very eager to get down to Studio 2 and see how Bad Luck was doing.

His thoughts drifted, as they often do, to his brother-in-law. He could not stop his mind from replaying the image of the man Monday night at that club. He could not put his finger on it, but there was something hidden in that passive expression the man had when he saw the boy perform. He was certain that his attention was drawn to the singer, seeing as how he had not even been paying attention until that angelic voice came through. If he could only figure it out...

Tohma tried to push those thoughts away as he stepped out of the elevator once it reached the third floor. He was a very intelligent man, and would find the missing pieces soon enough.

Entering the studio, he marveled in the music being created. Even though the group was new, he could already tell that they were the real thing. He refused to voice this to them just yet. No need to make them overconfident.

He stopped outside of the glass window facing the sound booth. K stood next to him, his arms crossed over his chest. "Where's Sakano-san?"

K shrugged, not tearing his eyes away from the band. "Not sure. Probably doing...producer-stuff or something."

Tohma smiled and gave his attention back to the group. He watched as they stopped a few minutes later to make an adjustment to the arrangement before beginning again. Seeing Shuichi perform like this, Tohma realized how much like Sakuma Ryuichi he seemed. Maybe that was what caught his attention in the first place.

Tohma almost jumped when K spoke up. "I like this music, but there seems to be something missing."

After a moment's thought, Tohma had to agree. "This will do well as an initial single, but the lyrics seem to be lacking."

"That's just what I was thinking. But he is only a kid, after all. Things can improve with some reinforcement." Tohma did not miss the maniacal smirk on the man's face or the loving tap on his magnum. He could only guess what the man was truly capable of.

The gears in Tohma's head began to turn. Lyrics. He smiled, a plan surfacing. "Perhaps I have a less violent way to help push Shindo-san in the right direction." He ignored K's questioning eyes as he turned around to leave. "Don't go easy on them, K-san."

Hearing the finality hinted in the tone of Tohma's voice, he shrugged it off. "I never do."

XXX

_"Yeah?"_

"Eiri-san, so good to hear your voice again," Tohma smiled.

A sigh. _"I just saw you two days ago, Tohma. What do you want now?"_

"I would like your help with something, Eiri-san."

_"What? I'm kind of busy here, so spit it out."_

Tohma smirked, knowing the irritation was most likely caused by writer's block, which had been plaguing the novelist as of late. "I would like you to help with a new band. They could use your help with their lyrics."

_"I just worked with one of your groups. Honestly, Tohma, I'm going to start thinking you're going senile if you keep hiring idiots who can't even spell."_

Sensing no rejection in the statement, Tohma persisted. "Does that mean you will accept?"

There was a long pause before Eiri responsed. _"When?"_

"Come in on Monday and you can meet with them. They are already working on their first single, but I have a feeling you can help them with some others."

_"Whatever."_ Eiri said before the phone cut off.

Tohma replaced his phone and smirked at no one in particular. If all went according to plan, he may just get to the bottom of this.

TBC...

* * *

_A.N. Another chapter finished. Before anyone kills me, Eiri and Shuichi WILL meet in the next chapter. I just wanted to get a few things squared away before then. I apologize if this chapter was a little slow, but I needed to establish a foundation to Shuichi and Hiro with NG. Anyway, reviews are appreciated and I will have the next chapter out soon._


	5. Chapter 5

_A.N. I wanted to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews. Good reviews definitely help encourage me to continue with this story! I would have had this chapter up sooner, but I was having trouble with my account. As a note about this chapter, I wanted to clarify that in this story, vampires CAN go out in the daytime, but prefer not to because they have very sensitive skin and eyes. I had to do it this way to make the story flow better. Anyway, hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The air was thick with tension as both men sat in silence. Neither wanted to be the first to speak - one resigned to glaring through dark-tinted lenses, the other sitting patiently with a grin on his face. The smiling man chose to speak first. "It was so kind of you to finally meet with me, Eiri-san. I know busy you can be."

"Cut the bullshit, Tohma," Eiri snapped. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and lighter. Lighting the stick, he slouched further into the couch and crossed his legs.

Tohma frowned. "You know, I would prefer it if you didn't smoke in my office."

"And you know how much I hate coming out during the day, so why don't we call ourselves even," he snarled.

Tohma was somewhat surprised by the writer's foul mood. Although he would never be considered pleasant, he was even moodier than usual. As much as he was concerned, however, he knew that it would be better not to ask.

Eiri was growing impatient from this game. He had done what was asked by showing up and now they were waiting for the idiot singer to show up. Eiri did not like the idea of helping some spoiled brat learn how to write, but felt that, with all Tohma had done for him, it was the least he could do. If it hadn't been for the sly blonde, Eiri's condition would have been revealed to his family long ago. Even so, it didn't mean he had to like it.

Eiri also had to admit that he was at fault for his own irritation, as well. He had not been sleeping well and, for some reason, did not feel like prowling the night before. Because of his lack of sustenance, his senses were unusually spiked. Even the scent of Tohma from across the room was causing his mind to feel hazy. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he could not take from the man right then. What if someone were to see them? His blood and the slight scent of perspiration was driving Eiri crazy. He wanted to get this meeting over with as soon as possible. At least if he were to go home and sleep, he could hunt once it got dark. He never hunted during the day, since the light hurt his eyes.

Extinguishing his cigarette on the soul of his shoe, Eiri glanced around the office. There were numerous photos of musicians alongside countless awards and plaques. He never took time to notice how successful his brother-in-law was. Sure, he knew about how much influence the man had, but he never really took time to ponder it. His eyes fell on a photograph of Tohma himself, surrounded by a woman with long, lavender-colored hair and a shorter man with green hair. He immediately recognized the two as the other members of Tohma's disbanded group, Nittle Grasper. Deciding to break the silence, Eiri cleared his throat. "Find anyone good enough to match that idiot?"

Tohma's lips curled in a genuine smile. By 'idiot', he knew that Eiri was referring to the lead singer of Nittle Grasper, Sakuma Ryuichi. The man's child-like exuberance and mentality was a far cry from the sex-idol he personified on stage. Tohma knew that his behavior was a facade, one that allowed people to generally not take him seriously. Tohma was always aware of this act, but felt that if it was how the man wanted to live, it was not his place to try and change it. "Everyone who works for me has their own charm. Ryuichi was one-of-a-kind, so...no, I haven't heard anyone sing quite like him." His mind began twisting around the image of a young singer. "However, there is one boy who has the potential to exceed Sakuma-san one day. He just needs a little push."

Eiri turned his gaze to the other blonde. "Coming from you, I guess one would take that as a compliment. Who is he?"

Tohma reclined in his chair, relaxing. "You'll be meeting him any time now." At Eiri's questioning expression, he continued. "He is the one you will be helping."

Eiri scoffed. "He can't be much of a prodigy if he can't even write his own songs."

Tohma shook his head. "I never said he _couldn't _write. I merely felt that his voice would benefit from a professional source. No need to waste good talent, after all. Besides, I have a feeling you will like this one."

Eiri did not miss the mischievous twinkle in the aquamarine eyes. Before he could speak out his curiosity, a knock sounded at the door.

XXX

Shuichi's voice trailed off with the end of the song. Opening his eyes, he glanced at his two bandmates, proud to see their smiling faces. "How was that?"

Suguru, stoic as ever, shrugged. "I guess it will do."

Hiro shot the younger boy a warning look before approaching his friend. Throwing his arm over the slim shoulder, he hugged him and smiled. "That was great, Shu. I can't wait for Seguchi-san to see how much progress we've made after practicing this song all weekend."

Shuichi nodded in agreement as the three made their way out of the sound booth. Shuichi immediately went to the cooler and retrieved a bottle of cold water to sooth his aching throat. Even though he was used to singing, he was still not physically prepared for the torture his vocal cords were being put through. He could only hope that he would get used to it with time.

After taking a long drink from the bottle, Shuichi joined Hiro on the worn-out sofa near the wall. "Yeah, I'm sure he wouldn't be disappointed in us. I'm just worried because K-san said that I need to write two new songs by the end of the week. I can't even put two _words _together with all of this stress, much less a song." He let his head fall into his hands as he sighed. "What am I supposed to do?"

Hiro's heart sank with the pitiful tone of Shuichi's voice. He hated seeing his friend so distressed. He patted the boy gently on his back. "It'll be okay, Shu. You just need to find some inspiration, that's all. I'm sure it will come to you."

Shuichi turned his head to give Hiro a grateful smile, but was startled when he heard the door slam open. Looking over, he watched as K and Sakano entered the room. Sakano, as nervous as ever, approached Shuichi. "The President would like to see you in his office immediately, Shindo-san."

Shuichi's smile faded immediately as dread creeped in. "Do you know what about?"

Sakano shook his head. "No, I just got the message. I'd hurry up if I were you. You don't want to keep Seguchi-san waiting."

"No, I guess not," Shuchi mumbled, standing up. He gave a quick, worried glance to Hiro before walking out of the studio.

_What am I so worried about...it's not like I did anything wrong, right?_ The entire way to Tohma's office was spent pondering the question. Not a single thing came to mind that would indicate why the President wanted to see him. He could feel tears stinging behind his eyes as he thought that he did something that would ruin their chance with NG.

By the time he reached the door to Tohma's office, he was a nervous wreck. He couldn't find the courage to knock on the door, so he simply stared at it. He must have been frozen for some time before he heard a throat clearing. Jumping at the sudden noise, he looked over to see the secretary, an amused smile on her face. "You may go in, he is expecting you."

Shuichi nodded and knocked on the solid wood door. After a moment he heard a soft "Come in."

Holding his breath, he pushed the doors open and stepped inside. His eyes immediately found the blonde sitting behind his mahogany desk. Meeting the man's overwhelming gaze, he shifted nervously. "You wanted to see me, Seguchi-san?"

"Yes, Shindo-san, please take a seat." Tohma gestured towards one of the two chairs in sitting opposite of him across his desk. Shuichi automatically followed his orders and found himself sitting nervously in the comfortable chair. Tohma looked him up and down quickly before smiling. "There are a few things we need to discuss."

Shuichi's anxiety was threatening to spill over. "If there was anything I did wrong, I swear I will do whatever-"

He trailed off as he noticed Tohma waving his hand dismissively. "You misunderstand, Shindo-san. I have spoken with your manager and am pleased with your progress so far. To get to matters at hand, K-san tells me that you need to have two new songs written by the end of the week?"

Shuichi nodded. "Yes, even though we are only working on the one song for a single, he wants me to have more ready to go."

Tohma nodded. "Well, I know that all of this may be overwhelming you somewhat, so I have enlisted the help of a dear friend to help you with the lyrics."

Shuichi bristled slightly. _Help with the lyrics?_ He was both confused and offended by this. Although he knew he was not the best song-writer out there, he always put his heart and soul into the words and, as a result, they were sometimes quite personal. He did not like the idea of someone dictating what he _should _be doing.

Tohma could see the wash of emotions over the singer's face and tried to console him. "I assure you that this will still be entirely your work. Uesugi-san will simply help to put your thoughts in better order. He will not be taking anything away from your lyrics, simply help make them better." He became very serious as he finished, the smile leaving his face. "This is a rough business, Shindo-san. I expect the most out of all of my musicians, as I have told you before. This is the best opportunity to make sure your band lives up to it's expectations."

Shuichi was not so dense as to miss the underlying tone in the statement. Wiping the disappointment from his face, he gave a weak smile. "So when do I meet this...Uesugi-san?"

Tohma smiled at Shuichi's acceptance. "He is sitting behind you." Shuichi whipped around in surprise to find another man in the room with them. "Shindo Shuichi, meet Uesugi Eiri."

Shuichi was at a loss for words as he stood and gave a polite bow. The man sitting on the couch was...breathtaking. Even though his eyes were hidden behind black-tinted glasses, he had remarkable beauty. His golden-blond hair fell just past his ears and framed his fair skin perfectly. He wore a long black trench-coat with a gray button-down shirt underneath. He wore black dress pants and his long legs were crossed, his ankle hanging over the opposite knee. He had no expression on his face, but Shuichi could not help but wonder what his eyes looked like.

_He's...beautiful..._

Shuichi could do nothing but stare dumbly at the older man, wondering why he didn't say anything. After what seemed like an eternity to the singer, the man finally stood. He watched as Eiri reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter in his other hand. Exhaling, the man turned his face towards Tohma. "This is the kid you want me to help?"

Tohma smiled. "That's right, Eiri-san."

Eiri glanced once more at singer before turning and walking away. Shuichi was extremely hurt that the man did not even seem to acknowledge him. Before the door closed behind him, the guy paused without looking back. "Find someone else, Tohma. I don't work with idiots."

XXX

Eiri walked to his car as quickly as he could without drawing unwanted attention. His heart was racing wildly by the time he closed the door of his Mercedes, locking him inside. The last thing he had expected was to see the boy there. Not only there, but standing right in front of him, within arms reach. He was used to their encounters being one-sided at best, the boy in a trance. Having him conscious, breathing, and animated right in front of him was too much.

_And his damn scent drove him crazy..._

He cursed and slammed his hand on the steering wheel. It took all he had to sit there in silence when the boy first walked in. He was thankful, for once, that his eyes were sensitive and required him to wear sunglasses during the day. He had no doubt that his eyes would have given him away. There was no way he could work with the boy. He pulled his keys out of his coat pocket and started the engine.

_Shuichi..._

_And what was with that knowing smirk Tohma had? He certainly wouldn't suspect that I have been using the boy, could he?_

By the time Eiri had reached his house, he had more questions than answers. One thing continued to plague his mind. What were his feelings towards that boy? Certainly his blood was superb, but then...why couldn't he stop thinking about him? He had known that the boy was cute - beautiful even- but he was even more attractive when the light shown behind his eyes. Up until this point, those violets were always empty when he fed due to the trance. Today...they sparkled.

Eiri cursed himself and slammed the door behind him. Making his way into his bedroom, he landed unceremoniously onto his bed. He brushed his thoughts aside, finally dismissing them as effects from his hunger. "I should know better than to go a night without eating," he mumbled to himself.

Allowing his eyes to slip shut, he decided to get some sleep and, come tonight, find someone to ease his hunger.

_It's not good for him to get involved with me anyway..._

XXX

Shuich stared blankly at the closed door. The man, Eiri, had basically insulted him before slamming it shut behind him. Even though he didn't even know the stranger, he felt incredibly hurt from the insult. Shuichi was not the type of person who was brushed aside often. In fact, he liked to think that he was generally liked. Why, then, did this guy dislike him so much?

"I apologize for his behavior, Shindo-san."

Shuichi was startled, forgetting that the other man was still in the room. He turned around, eyes downcast. "It's alright, Seguchi-san. I don't know why, but I don't think that he wants to work with me."

"No need to worry. I will talk some sense into him. For now, why don't you meet with your band and take the rest of the day off?"

Shuichi nodded and made his way out the door without another word.

Once the boy was gone, Tohma sighed and sat down. Although he was confused at his brother-in-law's behavior, he now knew enough to say that there was some connection between the two. No matter how blunt the writer could be, he was never so forcefully rude. He had accepted the job last week, but it wasn't until he met Shindo that he turned him away. This was something he had never done with a previous singer.

He sat back into a more comfortable position. The boy seemed genuinely ignorant, so Tohma was pretty sure that the boy did not know Eiri. Eiri, on the other hand, had acting strangely both today and at the performance they had seen a week ago. This meant that Eiri knew the boy from somewhere, but he did not normally keep friends. The only way Tohma could figure he knew the singer was if he had fed from him. This, however likely, did not account entirely for his behavior, however. He highly doubted that Eiri had never run into one of his 'meals' before, but this was the first time he behaved differently around them. There must have been more to what he felt for the singer.

This thought struck him like lightning.

Feelings? Did Eiri have certain feelings towards the boy?

The more Tohma contemplated this, the more it made sense. Most people, when faced with the opportunity to be close to a love interest, would embrace the idea. Eiri, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Because he had been betrayed by Yuki, he did not lend himself easily to affectionate feelings. If he had an interest in another person, he would instinctively push them away so that they would not betray him as well.

Or to protect them.

Tohma was not a foolish man. He knew that Kitazawa was a possessive lover. When he was here, he kept Eiri wrapped around his finger, hardly letting him out of his sight. If Eiri had a weaker disposition, he would most likely be in America right now with his temperamental sire. Eiri had argued his way into being able to stay and Yuki had reluctantly left, without saying when he would return.

Perhaps Eiri was attracted to this boy and that is why he pushed him away.

Yuki would most certainly take his jealousy out on Shuichi.

Tohma turned his chair around to gaze at the Tokyo skyline. He had a lot to think about. On one hand, he did not want to endanger Shuichi. He was such a unique and friendly boy. Eiri should not have to take the responsibility of being the cause of his 'punishment' at the hands of Kitazawa. On the other hand, Shuichi may be the very person to make Eiri happy, free him from his life. Judging by the expression that was on Shuichi's face when he met him, he was very attracted to the writer. Tohma wanted nothing more than to see his brother-in-law smile...and he had a feeling that Shuichi could make it happen.

If only they could find some way around their obstacle -- Kitazawa.

XXX

Shuichi dragged his feet as he walked out of the elevator on the third floor. He was uncharacteristically depressed and could not hide it. He had never been rejected by anyone before. "The jerk didn't even let me say 'hi' before he stormed off," he mumbled to himself.

Walking into the studio, he informed the band and K that Seguchi-san gave them the rest of the day off to rest. Hiro, noticing the dejected look on his friend's face, laid a hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, Shu?"

Shuichi offered a weak smile but nodded. "I'll be fine. I'm not in trouble or anything." Hiro gave him a disbelieving look and scowled. Trying to ease his mind, Shuichi gave his arm a reassuring squeeze. "I'm okay, Hiro. I just want to go home and rest. I still have lyrics to work on."

Hiro, sensing Shuichi's stubborness, relented. "Okay, but do you want a ride home?"

Shuichi shook his head. "No, I feel like walking today. It's not too chilly out."

Hiro nodded and retreated to the couch to grab his jacket. Throwing Shuichi his jacket and messenger bag, they two said their goodbye's to Suguru and K before making their way downstairs.

Hiro hopped onto his bike as it roared to life. Before slipping his helmet on, he turned to his friend. "Call me if you need anything, okay Shu?"

Shuichi smiled. "I will, don't worry."

Shuichi watched as his friend disappeared around the corner before he started towards home. He was hoping a good walk would help clear his mind.

Shuichi arrived at his apartment just as the sun was beginning to set, allowing an orange glow to fill the sky. He walked into his apartment and closed the door behind him. Feeling tired from today's practice, he decided to get a little sleep before starting the new lyrics. Stripping from his jacket and shoes, he fell into his bed and was asleep within minutes.

XXX

When Shuichi opened his eyes, the room was dark and the full moon created shadows that spilled over his covers. Groaning, he turned over and looked at his bedside clock. it was two o'clock in the morning. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he shoved the heavy comforter to the foot of the bed and stood up. _Great, I just wasted all that time I should have been working_.

On his way to the living room, he grabbed his notebook from the messenger bag he had tossed by the doorway. Pen in hand, sank into the couch and opened to a fresh page. His mind continued to drift to the meeting he had with Tohma. He knew that Tohma meant well by bringing in someone to help him. It was his company, after all, and knew what was best. But why had that man been so...

"Grrr..."

He threw down the pad and pen and kicked the objects away from himself. He couldn't bring himself to concentrate. He stood up and stretched his legs. After walking to the kitchen for a glass of water, he stopped in front of his window. The thin curtains had already been drawn back, allowing him to view the clear night sky.

_Maybe I just need a change of atmosphere_, he thought.

Smiling at his own genius, he walked into his bedroom to slip on his shoes and jacket. Making sure he had his keys and cellphone, he retrieved the abused notebook and walked out of the apartment.

The night air was crisp and refreshing, helping Shuichi throw off the remnants of sleep. There was no one out at this time of night, the only sound heard was coming from his own two feet. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going, and he soon found himself standing beside a familiar wrought-iron gate.

Deciding that the park would be the best place to find inspiration, he found his way onto the worn cobblestone path. His eyes fell to the river and watches as the wind caught on the ripples of the water. _If only this place could be this peaceful all of the time._

After a few minutes of walking, he came across an inviting bench and he decided to sit down and try to write. It wasn't long before his eyelids became heavy. He pulled his legs to rest beside him on the bench, getting more comfortable. He tapped the pen on the pad, trying to keep himself awake. No words were coming to him.

After several minutes, he felt his head begin to droop and his eyes started to fall shut of their own accord. In the back of his mind, he could hear the faint sound of footsteps, but his body did not want to respond.

The footsteps stopped a short distance away from him. "You're going to get sick sleeping out here."

XXX

Eiri roused himself from his bed when it was still early in the morning. His sleep was restless at best, his hunger keeping him awake. Frustrated, he threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. After walking over to his closet, he dressed quickly in the dark before leaving the room.

The rest of the house was, as usual, silent. He liked it that way. It reminded him that _he_ was not there.

He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a small plate of noodles. He heated the dish in the microwave and took a seat on a stool by the counter. Although he did not technically need regular food to survive, he still found it to be a comfort. It would not stave off his inhuman hunger, but it helped to dull it temporarily.

Finishing his meal and rinsing the plate in the sink, he glanced at his watch and noticed that it was just after two in the morning. He figured that there was no better time to go out scouting for his real meal. Pulling on his shoes and long black coat, he pocketed his keys and cigarettes. He walked outside and locked the door behind him.

The chilly air was a dramatic contrast to the warm air in his house. The night was quiet and he immediately decided to go to his favorite hunting ground.

Walking a few blocks before he crossed the street, he met with the familiar trees that surrounded the park. Rounding the corner, he found himself on the uneven stone path that encompassed the secluded area. He was thankful for the food filling his stomach, he did not want to lose control when he found his 'dinner'.

It wasn't long before he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He opened his senses. Female. Young. _Perfect_, he thought. The woman came into view a few seconds later. She was a homely-looking woman with long black hair and a tired expression. Eiri was relieved to have found someone so quickly. It meant that he could go home soon.

He took a few steps towards the figure, who happened to be dressed in a waitress uniform. A second before he made his move, something stopped him. There was an unusual scent coming from this woman. It took him a moment to recognize it, just enough time to side-step woman and continue on his way.

The smell was faint, but distinct for someone with his abilities. She was a mother. The scent of a child clung to her like a brand. He would be damned if he orphaned some brat.

He cursed himself for the close call and kept walking deeper into the park. It was several more minutes of slow walking before he picked up on another scent - this one was definitely familiar.

Sure enough, several yards away on a bench, was the same person who had been causing him so much grief. _Maybe I should just drain him to rid myself of this pathetic infatuation_.

He shook his head. There was no way he could bring himself to do something like that. It wasn't the boy's fault, after all. He wasn't even aware of his part in all of this.

The boy was sitting rather comfortably on a wooden bench, a reflection of white on his lap. Upon closer inspection he saw that it was a notebook. He now stood only a few feet away from the boy whose scent caused every fiber in his body to tingle. He was obviously very tired, his head gently lowering towards his chest. His feet were curled on the bench close to him and his fingers wrapped loosely around a pen, the other resting on top of a blank sheet of paper. He felt a pang of guilt all of the sudden. _Had he been having trouble? I was supposed to help him..._

Deciding that it was too chilly outside to just leave the boy sleep, he brushed aside his hesitation. "You're going to get sick sleeping out here."

Shuichi's head snapped up quickly although his eyes took a little longer to focus. When he saw the man standing in front of him, he was at a loss for words. Eiri stood in front of him, looking cool and collected, while he sat gaping like fish out of water.

Narrowing his eyes, Eiri glared at the boy. "What are you doing out here, anyway, kid?"

Shuichi snapped out of his daze. "I'm not kid! I do have a name, you know. I'm Shuichi, not 'kid' or 'idiot'."

Eiri marveled at the realization that Shuichi was even cuter when he was angry. His cheeks puffed up indignantly, eyes flaring, and a soft blush on his cheeks...

"Only an idiot would fall asleep on a public bench in the middle of the night. Do what you want, don't cry to me when you get a fever." Eiri sat down on the bench beside the singer and stretched his legs out. Being this close to the boy was wearing him thin, but he had to don an air of indifference, if only for his own pride.

Shuichi felt the heat rise to his cheeks when the blonde sat next to him. _Why does he have to be so damned good-looking_. It was then that he remembered how rude Eiri had been earlier and he began feeling depressed. Not wanting to beat around the bush, he cleared his throat. "I'm not sure what your problem is, but Seguchi-san was really hoping that you would help me." He tore his gaze from his shoes to look into the man's eyes.

When he locked his violet orbs with Eiri's golden, he froze. He remembered that he did not see the other man's eyes before now. They were absolutely beautiful, almost hypnotic. He found it hard to breath with the man looking at him so intently.

"What's your point?" The man snapped.

Shuichi didn't know how to react from the tone in Eiri's voice, but he didn't want to back down from him, either. His gaze unwavering, he asked the one question that had been bothering him. "Why...why don't you like me?"

The question caught Eiri off guard. Sure, he had been pushing the boy away, but he didn't think that he was being _that _harsh. But, why then, was there a hesitant look in those eyes clouded with moisture? He felt a pang of guilt - it was not his intention to bring the boy to the verge of tears. Not knowing what else to do, he stood up and began walking away.

Shuichi was hurt and angry all at once as Eiri turned his back on him. _Am I not even worth an answer?_ His hands curled into fists against his thighs. He was about to lose his temper, but then he heard the footsteps stop.

Eiri knew that he was going to regret what he was going to do, but for some reason, common sense seemed to leave him. He stopped walking and turned his head slightly to speak over his shoulder. "Are you coming, or what?"

Shuichi sat their stupefied. "Huh?"

Eiri sighed. "I thought you wanted help. My place is not far from here." He started walking towards his house, knowing the boy would follow.

It took him a few seconds to react, but Shuichi managed to jump to his feet and chase after the blonde.

XXX

"Wow, this place is nice," Shuichi praised.

Eiri shrugged his shoulders and closed the door behind him. He hung up his coat and motioned for Shuichi to hand over his. Once their shoes were left in the foyer, the two entered the living room and Shuichi sat on the couch. "Do you want something? Water, beer, coffee?"

Shuichi shook his head and Eiri joined him on the couch. He did not know what he was thinking bringing the kid to his house, but at that point there wasn't anything else he could do. For whatever reason, he did not feel comfortable sending the kid on his way home at this time of night. He was too cute to be walking alone...

Eiri relaxed back into the couch as Shuichi watched him out of the corner of his eye. _He's so handsome, but cold...I wonder why?_

Suddenly hit with a wave of inspiration, Shuichi hurriedly opened his notebook and began jotting down words. Intrigued, Eiri turned his head slightly, although trying to hide the fact that he was interested. He could not make out the sloppy handwriting and soon became frustrated. "Oi, brat, what are you writing?"

Shuichi took only a second to lift his head and glare at him. "I'm not 'brat', damn it. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Eiri felt the corners of his mouth twitch but fought the urge. The boy was undeniable tempting when he was angry, but he'd be damned if he was going to smile. "Whatever. What are you doing?"

Finishing off what he had been writing, he read it over and peeked at Eiri almost shyly. "Just some lyrics that came to my head just now."

Eiri held out his hand and motioned for Shuichi to hand him the book. Shuichi, happy to have finally written _something_, gladly handed it over. He waited silently as he watched Eiri's eyes travel over his words, waiting for the critique. After a few minutes of silence, Eiri tossed the book onto the table. "You call that crap a love song? You have zero talent for songwriting."

Without waiting for a response, Eiri stood up and walked into the kitchen, leaving behind a speechless Shuichi.

He sat there on the couch with his mouth hanging open. _W-What?!_

Eiri grabbed a beer from the refrigerator before returning to the living room. Shuichi glared heatedly at him and jumped to his feet. His face was flushed in frustration and his eyes narrowed at the blonde. He clenched his hands into fists and held them at his sides. "Did you have to be so harsh about it?! Who the hell are you to say anything anyway? Aren't you supposed to be helping me, not insulting me?"

As he was talking, Eiri found that his feet moved of their own accord, closing the distance between the two. By the time Shuichi was done yelling, he was slightly out of breath, his cheeks a faint pink. He continued to glare at Eiri with fire in his eyes.

Eiri did not know what came over him, but in that moment all of his inhibitions seemed to abandon him. He dropped the can onto the couch and reached his hand to lay it on Shuichi's cheek. _So soft..._ Leaning forward slightly, his face only a few inches from the other, he whispered to the boy. "You know...you are a little bit cute right now."

Shuichi did not know what to do but watch as Eiri's lips descended, closing the gap between them. As soon as they met, Shuichi felt as if his legs had turned to jelly and found it hard to stand. Eiri placed his hand on the small of his back in order to steady him. Shuichi, feeling incredibly comfortable, closed his eyes and sighed into the kiss.

The sound of the gentle sigh brought Eiri back to his senses. Almost immediately, he released his hold on the boy and grabbed the can from where he had dropped it. Looking at Shuichi's glazed eyes, he managed to find his voice. "You may as well sleep here, you can have the couch. It is too late for you to go anywhere now."

Before waiting for a response, Eiri sharpened his gaze and placed Shuichi in a trance. The taste of his lips had brought his hunger back to life and he did not want to wait any longer. If the boy slept so near to him after another night without feeding...he did not want to take the chance that he might kill him.

Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around the slim waist and sunk his teeth into the desirable neck. The euphoria that he felt from this boy alone resurfaced and he found himself lost in the sound of his pulse. Receiving his fill, he was able to break away before the steady rhythm faltered. Healing the wound, he used his shirt sleeve to wipe the red essence from Shuichi's neck as well as his own mouth before bringing the boy back to consciousness.

Shuichi blinked rapidly several times once he was released. "Y-Yeah," he stammered. "I feel...really tired all of the sudden." His eyes began to close but Eiri was able to catch him before he fell to the floor.

Feeling more than a little guilty, he laid the delicate body comfortable on the couch and covered him with the throw that he kept over the back of the sofa. Tucking him in so that he would not be cold during the night, he stood and began walking towards his bedroom. Turning the light off on the way, he gave one last look at the boy before closing the door behind him.

Undressing and pulling on a pair of sweat pants, he crawled into bed and pulled the covers around him. His mind was racing a mile a minute. What prompted him to kiss Shuichi? He had never before felt so...unable to control his own actions. Did he want the boy so badly that he was willing to fight for him?

Fight...

His mind immediately envisioned his sire. Yuki would definitely be an obstacle...one that Eiri was not sure he could overcome.

Groaning, he rolled over and buried his face into the soft pillow. _What am I doing?_

TBC...

* * *

_A.N. I hope you liked it. R&R please!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi again, everyone! Sorry about the incredibly long wait, but yes, I am alive and yes, I intend on continuing this story. I want to thank all of you who have been waiting, patiently or otherwise, for the update. I have been having a lot of problems, but most of which have been sorted out. I'm not sure how often I can update, but I hope for at least one a week. I have been visiting the aarinfantasy forums and there are some incredible writers there, so I have to say that I have been feeling very inferior with my ability to write, but as long as people like this story, I will finish it. Enjoy!_

_xxx_

He glanced towards the living room for the fifth time in the last ten minutes, his eyes focusing on the small body lying comfortably on the leather couch. He couldn't help being mesmerized by the gentle movements of his chest as he inhaled and exhaled slowly in his sleep. Even from the distance between them, he could still see how his lips were parted so slightly, an unconscious temptation. He knew from experience that those lips were even more delicate than they appeared...

Eiri cursed under his breath and turned his attention back to the task at hand - cooking breakfast. He was not one to be inclined to eat normal food in the morning, but he knew that the boy would be ravenous, not to mention he needed the calories to make up for the amount of blood he unknowingly surrendered. He felt a pang of guilt in his chest, and he frowned. He knew that he had taken too much blood from the teenager. His small body was not an ideal source, especially for Eiri's appetite. In the past, he would often feed on two or three humans a night, and the petite boy could in no way supply enough to sate him. Despite that, he somehow felt more filled when he drank from the boy. The quality of his blood was incredible, leaving him feeling content in a way no other human had before. However, he was not oblivious to the fact that the boy was a lot paler than the first time he ran into him. His skin, usually a natural light tan, was now a few shades lighter and there was an almost imperceptible heaviness around both of his eyes. Although he was not certain he would be able to, he knew that he wanted to keep this boy around for as long as he could and that meant that he would have to take care of him.

Which brought him back to the task at hand. He turned off the heat to the pans and replaced the covers to keep the food warm. Reaching above him, he retrieved a mug and a glass from the cupboard and filled the mug with fresh coffee, placing the glass on the kitchen table. A soft whimpering sound coming from the direction of the living room alerted him that the boy was waking up.

XXX

His eyelids felt like lead weights as the oppressing light shone through. Whimpering, he squeezed his eyes closed as tightly as he could, not wanting to cast off the remnants of his very restful sleep. This action only served to bring his mind into a clearer state of consciousness and he groaned in disappointment.

Sighing in resignation he stretched his body, his arms extending high above his head. His hand encountered something hard and smooth. Confused, he opened his eyes and looked above his head, seeing his hands pressed against dark leather. His mouth dropped open in surprise as the previous night's memories flooded back.

_...the park...Eiri...the kiss..._

He felt his face warm as his mind lingered on the last thought. He brought his hand to his mouth and his fingertips ran slowly over his lips. _Eiri...kissed me._ He could remember the feel of those warm lips on his and the unique scent that lingered on the older man's skin, a mixture of spice and musk. He could feel his mind swarm with questions. What did Eiri mean when he kissed him? They had been arguing moments before, and the kiss was unexpected to say the least.

Deciding that it was too early in the morning to be thinking of such complicated things, he removed the blanket that was covering him and swung his legs off of the couch. He sat up and regretted it instantly when his head began to swoon. Rubbing his hands over his eyes, he waited for the dizziness to disperse before standing.

The smell of something delicious prompted him to move towards the kitchen. Pausing in the doorway, he caught sight of Eiri leaning against the granite counter, sipping from a white mug. There eyes locked and Shuichi instantly felt the blood rush to his face. Tearing his eyes away, he dropped his gaze to the floor. "'Morning."

Eiri studied the pink flush that lingered on the singer's cheeks and the way his eyes dropped shyly. His body began responding in ways that he refused to acknowledge...at least not yet. Nodding his head towards one of the empty chairs beside the table, he motioned for Shuichi to sit. The boy complied, struggling to keep his eyes off of the tall, blonde, gorgeous man standing casually near him.

Eiri turned towards the stove and began dishing out a generous serving of eggs, bacon and sausage on a plate before setting it in front of the boy. Shuichi's eye widened when he saw the food. "Y-You didn't have to cook for me. I could've just-"

"Eat," Eiri silenced him before walking to the refrigerator. Not wanting to make the blonde angry, Shuichi picked up his fork and began eating. Taking the first bite, his eyes widened in surprise. The food was delicious! He immediately began devouring the food enthusiastically as Eiri poured him a glass of orange juice. He offered a smile around his forkful of food and chewed almost enthusiastically.

Eiri rolled his eyes and turned around to return the juice to the fridge, hiding a small smile. Schooling his features, he replaced the smile with a bored expression as he took a seat around the corner from the singer. He sipped his mug, stealing glances at the pink-haired boy, marveling in his astounding innocence. His heart sank a little, realizing what that he was taking advantage of the very person who deserved it the least. He fought these feelings back as quickly as they surfaced. It was too late to think that way...he was addicted.

Shuichi finished his meal and sat back in his seat with a satisfied moan, rubbing his flat belly. He did not realize that the affect his small noise had on the blonde. Eiri's eyes fell on the slightly parted lips of the younger man, remembering the initiative he took the night before. Shuichi looked up and noticed Eiri's stare and he could not fight back the flush that came to his face. "Umm...thanks for breakfast. I know that I was kinda a pain last night...crashing on your couch and all..."

Eiri did not respond at first, causing Shuichi to fidget in his seat, nervously clearing his throat. Feeling his body move of it's own accord, he brought his hand to rest against the singer's baby-soft cheek. Shuichi gasped at the feel of the rough fingers on his face, sending his nerves into a frenzy. He felt his breath hitch in his throat at the dark haze that filled Eiri's eyes, not understanding the other man's meaning. He felt his heart beat painfully in his chest when a small, almost undetectable smile appeared on the blonde's face.

Eiri, feeling reckless, leaned forward slightly, bringing his face within inches of Shuichi's. "I don't think you know," he began creeping slightly closer, his fingers tracing the soft skin slightly. "Just how sexy you are when you blush like that."

Shuichi's eyes widened in shock. As Eiri leaned even closer, he found that he could not longer breath. When their lips met, it felt like to world fell apart, leaving only the two of them. Feeling the more experienced lips begin to move against his own, he began to respond instinctively, his eyes falling closed. After a few moments of contact, he felt Eiri's tongue graze his lips gently. He hesitantly cracked them slightly, allowing the tongue access. He could not stop the moan from escaping as Eiri massaged their tongues together. Losing his inhibitions, he tentatively returned the touches, not entirely sure how to move.

Eiri was surprised when he felt Shuichi respond to his kiss and it sent fire through his veins. He could tell that this was probably the first time the boy had kissed like this, and that knowledge served to ignite his blood even more. Still caressing Shuichi's cheek, he brought his right hand to rest at the back of the boy's slim neck, his fingers gently stroking the feather-like hair that fell across his hand. Pulling the singer closer, he eagerly swallowed the moans that arose from the younger boy.

Becoming slightly irritated at their lack of friction, Eiri used his hands to pull the boy from his chair to rest across his lap, never breaking their kiss. Shuichi felt like he was in a dream, barely noticing that he was now straddling the blonde god. Eiri's hand dropped from his cheek and rested at the small of the boy's slender back. Wanting Shuichi to know just what he was doing to him, he pressed the boy closer and rolled his hips, causing their groins to grind against one another. He almost smirked when he felt the singer's hardened bulge hidden under his too-tight jeans.

Shuichi gasped when he felt Eiri's groin press against him. The friction felt so incredible he was afraid that another move like that would cause him to ruin the moment. He reveled in the heat coming from the older man's body, letting it drown him. All previous thought left him as he melted into the other.

After several minutes, both reluctantly pulled apart as the need for oxygen became desperate. Panting, Shuichi closed his eyes and laid his head against Eiri's broad shoulder. Eiri, in turn, tried to collect his thoughts. There was no denying his desire to keep the young singer. He gently trailed his fingers down the back of his slim neck, earning a sigh from the flustered boy.

Shuichi finally looked up and gazed into Eiri's amber eyes. They felt no need for words, content with each other's company. After a few minutes, Shuichi's eyes widened and he hopped to his feet. "I'm late for work!"

Eiri did not move from his chair as he watched Shuichi run around the apartment like a mad man trying to find his notebook. After a few moments, he stood and walked towards his bedroom, retrieving his smallest shirt and pair of pants. He returned to the living room in time to see Shuichi heading towards the door to slip his shoes on. "Hey."

Shuichi looked back hurriedly and saw that Eiri held the clothes out as an offering. "I don't have time, K will shoot me if I'm late!"

"Change your clothes, they're a mess from sleeping in them." He saw that Shuichi was about to protest again, so he quickly finished. "I'll be driving you to work."

Shuichi snapped his mouth shut immediately and approached the writer, taking the articles of clothing. "Thanks," he smiled before running towards the bathroom.

xxx

They arrived at NG less than fifteen minutes later and Shuichi practically ran into to studio. Everyone else was already there by the time he walked in. Hiro jumped to his feet and ran towards Shuichi, a worried look on his face. "What happened? Why are you late?"

"He was with me."

Shuichi's face flushed a deep scarlet at the deep voice and Hiro looked towards Eiri, who stood behind the flustered singer. Hiro's eyes narrowed, jealousy raging inside as he noticed the way his friend reacted. "And you are?"

Shuichi cleared his throat, not liking the cold tone in Hiro's voice. "Eiri, this is Hiro, my best friend. Hiro this is Eiri. Seguchi hired him to help me with my lyrics."

The two men glared at each other, neither one wanting to break first. Shuichi did not understand why Hiro was acting the way he was. He didn't like the tension in the air and was about to break the two apart, but K beat him to it. "Alright, slackers. Why don't we start earning our keep around here. Hiro, Shuichi, get your butts into the sound booth!"

Shuichi sighed in relief as Hiro turned and, grabbing his guitar from the corner, entered the sound booth. Shuichi glanced at Eiri and offered a smile. Although he did not openly smile, Shuichi saw his eyes visibly soften when they met with his. His heart fluttered in his chest as he turned and walked into the booth.

Eiri decided to stay and watch the rehearsal, instantly captivated by Shuichi's angelic voice. He was surprised by how deeply the boy fell into his music as he closed his eyes and let the words pour out of him. He seemed unaware of what was going on around him, nothing else existed save for the melody.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard the faint sound of the door opening behind him. The scent accompanying the footsteps belonged to the person he had hoped to avoid.

"Quite mesmerizing, isn't he?"

Eiri sighed, annoyed that his tranquility had been interrupted. "What do you want, Tohma?"

Tohma walked passed him to stand directly in front of the one-way glass, choosing to ignore the question. They both watched as they finished the song, only to start again in order to perfect it. Already Shuichi appeared tired, causing the guilt to resurface inside Eiri. He didn't realize at first that Tohma's eyes were locked on his face, but when he felt the stare, he glared coldly at him.

Tohma smiled. Not one of his patented, devious smiles, but a real one. "He's a nice kid, isn't he?"

Eiri scoffed, not liking where the conversation was going. "It's of no concern to me whether he's nice or not."

Tohma nodded, undeterred, and let his eyes travel back to the singer. They stood in silence for several minutes before Tohma persisted. "He's the type of person who brings out the best in people. Even strangers are attracted by his vibrance and feel the need to protect him." He turned to Eiril, smile gone, replaced by a serious expression. "He would be good for you."

Eiri had had enough. He turned away and began walking towards the door. "I don't need anyone else complicating my life." He pushed the door open and walked through, but before it closed, he paused. Without looking back at the other blonde, he allowed his facade to slip slightly, something he would only permit Tohma to see. "Besides...I wouldn't be good for him."

Tohma watched as Eiri disappeared through the door, a heavy weight on his heart. He knew the possibilities of what could happen if Shuichi became involved with the vampire, but his desire to care for Eiri superseded his rationalization. He did not overlook the wistful look in Eiri's eyes as they listened to him sing. He knew that Eiri wasn't happy, and that the only person who would be able to break through that coldness was Shuichi. He was just that kind of kid.

xxx

"Man, I'm so beat," Shuichi sighed as he fell gracelessly onto the sofa inside the studio. He looked outside, noticing how late it was getting. The sky was a dark gray, hiding the setting sun. "It looks like it's gonna rain."

Hiro took a seat on the sofa near Shuichi's head. Something had been troubling him all day. Namely, the presence of a certain blonde. Shuichi shifted so that his head lay on his friend's lap, and Hiro began running his fingers through the silky pink hair almost absentmindedly. Shuichi closed his eyes and was relieved to have been able to relax after such a tiring day.

Hiro looked down onto his friend's peaceful face. He regretted having to break the silent peacefulness, but he needed to get some answers. "Hey, Shu?"

"Hmm?"

"That Eiri guy, what's the deal?" Hiro tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but even he could hear the edge to the question.

Shuichi's eyes opened slowly. He didn't like talking about Eiri to Hiro, knowing how protective his friend tended to be. He knew that he would have to be careful of what he said. "Like I said earlier, Seguchi introduced us yesterday. Eiri is a novelist and has been hired to help me with my lyrics."

"Is that all?" Hiro was hopeful, trying to convince himself that there was nothing more between the two. The light blush that tinted Shuichi's cheeks, however, brought all of his hopes crashing down.

Shuichi sat up, pulling himself away from Hiro's relaxing massage. He hated the fact that he was blushing, knowing that it gave Hiro his answer. He refused to look towards the other, not wanting to see his reaction.

Hiro was stunned. They had been friends since elementary school, yet Shuichi had never shown a more-than-friendly interest in anyone, male or female. The realization that he was attracted to the blonde was a little overwhelming. He could tell that Shuichi was uncomfortable with the topic, so he wanted to end it on a playful note. "So, that's how it is, huh?" he said lightly.

His blush deepening, Shuichi looked over towards him, a guilty smile on his face. "I don't know, Hiro. I don't understand it, but I feel like I want to...spend more time with him or something. I've never really been attracted to anyone like this, and it's kinda new to me." His smile faded, a sad expression coming over his face. "You...you're not disgusted with me or anything, are you?"

Hiro was genuinely confused. "Why would I be?"

Shuichi shrugged. "Because...he's a guy."

Hiro almost laughed. So, Shuichi was worried that he would hate him for being gay. If only he knew the truth. "No, Shu, I don't. You like who you like, it's not something that can be changed. What would be worse is if you denied it to yourself. You should just be with who you want to." His last words were so painful, but he fought to keep his voice steady. He was losing. It's true that he never even fought, never confessed to the singer what his true feelings were, but he felt as if his heart was shattering.

Shuichi's face broke in a magnificent smile. "Thanks, Hiro. I don't know what I'd do without you." He glanced towards the window and sighed. "I guess I should get going. It looks like it's gonna rain."

Hiro nodded. "Do you want me to give you a ride?"

He shook his head. "Nah. I need to stretch my legs. I'll see you tomorrow though, kay?"

Hiro nodded and Shuichi made his way towards the door. He looked back before the door closed behind him, giving a smile and a wave goodbye. It wasn't until the door click shut that Hiro allowed his head to drop into his hands, fighting away the urge to cry.

xxx

Shuichi had been standing outside the seemingly non-threatening white door for ten minutes attempting to gather enough courage to knock. He didn't know if Eiri even wanted to see him, much less want him stopping by unannounced. He didn't want to bother the writer, perhaps he would just go home and forget about it. He turned around, looking up towards the graying sky. He wondered how long it would be before it started raining. He definitely wanted to get home before then.

"How long are you planning on just standing there?"

Shuichi squeaked in surprise and whipped around, coming face-to-face with a very sexy blonde. Eiri stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed. His hair was tousled and his white button-down shirt was untucked with the top several buttons undone, giving him a pleasantly messy look. Shuichi fought against the urge to drool. "I-I didn't want to bother you or anything. It's just that..." He fought to find an excuse for his unexpected visit. "You never helped me with my song last night, so I figured that maybe you had some time. But if you don't it's okay, I can just come back..."

His words trailed off as the blonde moved aside, gesturing him inside. He smiled and blushed slightly as he walked past the larger man. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, pulling the notebook from his bag and setting it on the coffee table. Eiri looked at the boy for a few moments, still standing near the closed door. His mind drifted to that morning and he had to suppress the smile. The boy was so responsive and intoxicating, his presence both put his mind at ease and drove him crazy at the same time. Shaking his head, he walked into the room and took a seat next to the singer.

xxx

Hiro stood in front of the window in his apartment, silently watching the rain begin to fall from the darkened sky. He could hear the sounds of Ayaka in the kitchen, busy making dinner, but his mind was not focused on her. Something was bothering him about his best friend and, moreover, the blonde that had appeared. There was something off about the older man, something he couldn't place. What were his feelings towards Shuichi? The singer's feelings were painstakingly obvious and sent a shockwave through the brunette.

He knew that he couldn't blame Shuichi for being so oblivious of his feelings for him. Hiro had to admit that he had never made an advance, although he knew full well that Shuichi was more inclined towards men, even if he didn't know it himself. They had been friends since they were little kids and Hiro was always aware of what they other boy was feeling. The thought amused him that Shuichi could think he would be disgusted to find out that he liked another guy. He just wished that the confession would have involved himself.

He shook his head, trying to fight his feelings. He only wanted Shuichi to be happy, that came above all else. If he could be happy with someone else, so be it. But Hiro would be damned if his friend got hurt. He would do whatever he could to protect the singer, He could only hope that the writer would not hurt him in the end. He promised himself to keep an eye on him.

He felt arms wrap around his waist and he sighed, a little frustrated that his private thoughts had been interrupted. "You have such a serious look on your face. What are you thinking about?"

He shook his head. "Nothing you need to worry about. Ready to eat?"

Ayaka's face fell, knowing that he couldn't see it. Trying a different tactic, she tightened her arms around him and leaned up to kiss his neck. "Maybe we could just...skip dinner and have dessert first," she whispered into his ear. She returned to kissing his neck, the tip of her tongue running gently along his skin.

Hiro suppressed a shudder, not one of excitement, but of disgust. When did his feelings for her turn so drastically? He had been attracted to her from the start, he is not the kind of guy to start dating a girl who he had no feelings for, but now he wanted to pull away from her every touch. Perhaps it was because of his feelings for Shuichi, but he no longer felt the same way about her.

He placed his hands on her wrist and gently pulled them away from his waist. He turned and smiled apologetically at her. "Sorry, I'm kind of worn out from work today." He saw the dark expression on her face, so he decided to try and console her. "How about we watch a movie while we eat, then maybe go out for a walk later?"

She knew what he was trying to do, so she offered a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Sure."

He smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before disappearing into the kitchen. She continued to stare towards the kitchen even after he turned the corner into the other room. She scowled, dark thoughts racing through her mind.

xxx

Shuichi sighed as he slumped back into the comfortable leather of the sofa, a tired smile on his face. After hours of writing, they had finished two whole songs, which was quite an accomplishment for the easily-distracted singer. Even more distracted, of course, by the tantalizing proximity of one gorgeous blonde. He couldn't help stealing glances towards the writer every couple of minutes, nor could he ignore the warm breath on his neck as the other man leaned over his shoulder to correct a mistake in his writing or to offer a suggestion. By the time they were finished, he was both mentally and physically exhausted.

He looked off to the side to gaze out the window, groaning as he saw the rain coming down full-force. It was already well past dark, but he could see the streetlights shining off the droplets as they hit the pane of glass.

"Stay tonight."

Shuichi started, looking towards the figure standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a beer in hand. He lost himself in those golden pools, not even realizing when he said 'okay' without hesitation. The man pushed off the wall and disappeared into his bedroom for a few moments before returning with a change of clothes and an extra blanket. Shuichi stood and took the clothes, going into the bathroom to change. On the way back into the living room, he noticed the clock, seeing that it was past eleven o'clock and was a little surprised at how long they had been working. His stomach growled and he blushed from embarrassment.

Eiri looked up at the sound and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth at seeing the boy flushed. He had forgotten about dinner, once again undeniably captivated by the boy's presence. He walked towards the counter and retrieved his wallet, pulling out several bills. He walked up to Shuichi who looked at him curiously while Eiri put the money in his hand and closed his small fingers around it.

"I'm going out for a while. Order some food and go to sleep."

Shuichi's face fell. "G-Going out? Now? Where? It's raining outside!" All of the questions poured out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Eiri fought to keep a straight face as he regarded the worried tone. "I have some things to do. Like I said, get to sleep. I don't want to be the one to blame if you look like shit for work tomorrow."

Shuichi nodded and watched sadly as Eiri slipped into his shoes and grabbed his coat. He stood for several minutes, just staring at the door after the blonde left. Where could he be going so late at night? His stomach growled again and he finally relented. Picking up the phone, he dialed the number to order a pizza.

Eiri took his time walking, enjoying the cold chill of the rain as it soaked through his clothes to his skin. He liked nights like this, everything being washed away. He was grateful for the fact that he wouldn't get sick like a human would in a similar condition. He scoffed. One thing he was grateful for compared to all of the things he hated about his life.

He took the familiar path through the park, not really paying attention to where his feet were taking him. He wasn't very hungry, which was surprising considering his earlier craving for Shuichi. After tasting him, nothing else could compare. The only reason he even bothered was because he knew that he had to keep his guard up with the singer staying another night. He had taken too much the night before and did not want to give in to the temptation of taking another feeding from him. No, he would be sure to get his fill before returning home, even if it meant taking more than one human.

His thoughts drifted off as a slightly sweet scent assaulted his nose. He smiled bitterly. First one of the night.

xxx

By the time Eiri had returned home, the storm had escalated and sharp cracks of lightning charged across the black sky. He opened the door silently and closed it behind him. He could pick up the smell of pizza, happy that Shuichi had taken him up on the offer of dinner. He looked around the living room, his enhanced night vision picking up on the dark mass huddled on the couch. He stood there for a few moments, watching the small chest rise and fall evenly in sleep.

He pulled himself away and walked into his bedroom. He pulled off his wet clothes on the way to the adjacent bathroom and threw them into the hamper. He quickly dried himself before slipping on a pair of boxers. He crawled into bed and pulled the warm comforters up around him, feeling exhaustion begin to overwhelm him.

He had started to drift off to sleep when a particularly loud crack of thunder sounded throughout the apartment, immediately followed by a panicked squeak. He smiled, amused, realizing that Shuichi must be scared of thunderstorms. Just as he had expected, a few moments later, he heard his door creak quietly. He didn't open his eyes, but could sense the single hesitant step on the hardwood floor. Another second, and another quiet footstep.

He decided to spare the boy and opened his eyes, immediately recognizing the small, dark figure standing near the foot of his bed. His eyes were wide and he clutched the blanket to his chest. His eyes grew impossibly wider when he saw Eiri's eyes open and he began mumbling an apology. "I'm s-sorry to wake you...it's...just that..."

"You're scared of the storm?" Eiri prompted.

Shuichi's face twisted from embarrassment and shame. "I didn't say that! How do you know I just wasn't having a bad dream of something!"

At that moment, a sudden stretch of lightning lit the room followed by a deafening crash of thunder. Shuichi jumped and squealed, his body trembling. Eiri shook his head and hid a smile as he lifted the corner of his blanket, beckoning Shuichi underneath. The boy was in no state of mind to refuse or even realize that he had lost the argument.

Shuichi slid underneath the comforter and Eiri instinctively wrapped his arms around the small body and pulled him closer. Shuichi felt like he was in heaven as the strong arms enveloped him, protecting him. He buried his face into the larger man's neck and snuggled closer to his chest. He felt a tingle of excitement run through him with the realization that the firm chest was naked, but he was too exhausted to act on the urge. Within minutes, his breath evened out as he slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Eiri stayed awake for some time after he small body relaxed and drifted off. Everything felt so surreal, how quickly things had changed for him within the past few weeks, although it would have only been a couple of days to the younger male. His thoughts drifted to Yuki, but he tried desperately to fight them back, unconsciously tightening his embrace. He brought his lips down to kiss the soft hair resting beneath his chin before closing his eyes.

_I know this is wrong, but for a little while...just a little while...let me have this._

xxx

_A.N. Well, let me know what you think. As a note, some may have noticed that I dropped the honorifics, as it just becomes confusing when trying to write this. Also, I wanted to point out that I do realize that Shuichi had accepted Eiri rather quickly, but my impression of him from the first time I read the manga was that he loved Eiri immediately and goes with his emotions, so I don't think it would be considered moving too fast for him. My opinion, anyway, so I just wanted to address it before I got reviews saying they are moving too quickly. Keep in mind that Eiri has practically been stalking the kid!_

_Comments and critisisms appreciated, so please review!  
_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Thanks so much for all of the great reviews!! Whenever I would get one, it really made my fingers itch to work on this next chapter. I would have had it out last night, but my internet died because of a thunderstorm, but it's all ready now. I apologize for any spelling errors, my spell-check was on the fritz because of the internet. Hope you like it!**_

xxx

Shuichi felt himself regain consciousness slowly, pale orange light flooding through his eyelids. He felt so warm and comfortable, a heavy weight settling across his waist. He snuggled further into his pillow, sighing quietly. It wasn't until that moment that he realized that his pillow was...moving.

He opened his eyes and they fell across an expanse of smooth, silky tanned skin. He then remembered what had happened the night before and he felt his face quickly heat up. Eiri was...holding him.

The blonde's weight shifted, pulling him closer, if that was even possible. He held his breath, worried that he would wake the older man. He felt the chin above him snuggle slightly in his hair, but he didn't move.

"You know, you should breathe once in a while."

Letting the air escape his lungs, he tilted his head up and got caught in that golden gaze. More blood rushed to his face and he hid his head in the man's broad shoulder. "I didn't want to wake you up," he muttered in self-defense.

"Hmm...too late for that." Eiri tightened his embrace and placed his lips against the mop of silky pink hair, wildly mussed from sleep. "You should probably get ready for work."

The thought of leaving the warm sanctuary of Eiri's arms caused him to wrap his arms around the broad chest and hold firm. "Nope. Too comfy." If he could have blushed harder, he would have.

Eiri couldn't hold back the smile, but he knew that he had let the boy sleep too long as it was. No sense having his brother-in-law breathing down his throat and asking uncomfortable questions. Giving one last squeeze, he groaned and let his arm drop away from the slender body. He leaned up on one elbow and looked down at the scarlet-faced boy. "Come on. I'll make a quick breakfast. Go ahead and hop in the shower."

Feeling cheeky, Shuichi's mouth twisted in a sly smile. "Are you saying I stink?"

Eiri caught the mischievous glint in his eye and decided that if the boy wanted to play, he would play. He shifted his arm and planted it on the other side of the singer so that he could lean over him. Shuichi shifted so that he lay on his back and donned an oh-so-innocent expression. Eiri leaned down so that his face was only an inch or so away from Shuichi's and spoke softly. "Well, I don't know. Maybe I should check."

Eiri's face lowered to Shuichi's ear, nuzzling gently. He ghosted his lips down to his chin, then lower down his neck. Shuichi took in a sharp breath when he felt soft lips grazing the hollow of his neck, his mind spinning when those same lips placed butterfly kisses along his throat. His mind went completely fuzzy when he felt fingertips tracing along the hem of his loose-fitting shirt, tickling him underneath. As those hands became more daring, traveling the skin on his abdomen, Eiri continued to gently nip at his collarbone.

Shuichi closed his eyes and a moan escaped his lips. He felt the blood rush south as his body responded in a more embarrassing way. He fought for control, lifting his heavy arms and laid them on Eiri's shoulders, gently pushing him away. "W-We...uh...shouldn't do this..."

Eiri didn't seem to hear him and decided to start undoing the buttons of the smaller male's shirt, one by one. Shuichi let his head fall back onto the pillow, beginning to pant slightly. When his shirt was undone, Eiri trailed his lips from collarbone to naval, blowing air softly on the flushed skin. He slowly made his way back up and settled his lips over the other's. He lowered his body, placing his weight on top of the boy's, one knee in between his thighs.

It was the feel of Eiri's hardened flesh against his thigh that sent shockwaves to his brain, restarting his thinking process. His eyes snapped open and he gave Eiri another, firmer push. Locking eyes with him, he stuttered. "I...uh...can't...I've never...But we haven't known each other for very long and...well..."

_God I sound like an idiot..._

Eiri was taken aback, surprised - however pleasantly - to find that the boy was a virgin. Even though the thought of the boy being untouched made his body respond more aggressively, he didn't want to scare his prize away. Studying the boy's flushed and hesitant face, he gave him one more kiss and pulled away. Stretching his legs, he stood up with a groan, shifting his shoulders to work out the kinks caused from sleep.

Shuichi sat up, his one leg folding underneath him, the other dangling off the bed, not quite reaching the floor. His hands began to slowly replace the buttons on his shirt and he seemed to study them intently. He heard Eiri's footsteps recede towards the door and he picked his head up. "You're...not mad at me, are you?"

Eiri paused, wondering if he did anything to warrant the question. He heard a sigh from the boy, who obviously mistook his silence for an affirmative answer. He looked back over his shoulder. "No, but if I didn't stop touching you now, I don't think I could have listened to you if you said 'no' later."

Shuichi's brow furrowed, confused by the remark. He saw the hazy shine to the older man's eyes and blushed once again, realizing the implications. Once the blonde disappeared through the doorway, he stood and walked into the bathroom, ready for a nice, cold shower.

xxx

Within an hour, the two pulled up to NG and got out of the car. Despite Shuichi's embarrassed remarks that he didn't need to be accompanied, Eiri followed him inside. In truth, Eiri had decided to speak with Tohma regarding the situation. He did not want to drag the singer into a dangerous situation without being prepared. He realized that the easiest way to avoid trouble was to simply stop seeing him, but after waking up to his soft, warm body that morning, he knew that it was an impossibility.

Eiri followed Shuichi all the way into the studio, tempted to stay and watch rehearsal's again. When they entered the room, Hiro and Suguru were already waiting, talking over breakfast consisting of coffee and bagels. Hiro looked up immediately, the smile falling from his face as soon as he laid eyes on the blonde. Tearing his eyes away, he looked at his friend who, for the second day, was wearing clothes that were suspiciously too large for his slender frame. He forced a smile on his face. "Hey, buddy. Hungry? We picked up plenty this morning."

Shuichi shook his head. "No, Eiri cooked breakfast this morning," he said, a blush darkening his cheeks.

Hiro bit his tongue although his face felt like it would crack under the strain of his smile. He turned his attention to the author. "Do you mind having a word with me outside?"

Eiri shrugged his shoulders, inwardly smirking at the blatant jealousy burning in the brunette's eyes. Deciding that he was feeling especially cocky, he took time to embrace Shuichi and kiss the top of his head. The singer's face flared and he mumbled something about warming up before disappearing into the sound booth.

Hiro walked out of the room first and when Eiri stepped out, the guitarist fixed him with a heated glare. "What, exactly, are your intentions with my friend?"

Eiri leaned against the wall, as if he was above this conversation. In all honesty, he didn't know this punk, so he didn't appreciate him meddling. "I think that I made my intentions pretty obvious."

If possible, Hiro became even angrier at the flippant response. He closed the distance between them, not caring that he was an inch or so shorter than the blonde, and put everything he had behind his words. "If I find out that you hurt him in any way, I will personally tear you apart."

Eiri met his stare without faltering. Although he had a scathing remark, the determination he saw in those charcoal eyes made him reconsider. He couldn't argue that he was angered, even insulted, that he was threatened in such a way, but fighting with the younger man was not worth angering his koi. Staring the younger man in the eye, he spoke firm and slow. "I frankly don't give a damn what you think about me, but I have no intentions of hurting Shuichi."

Hiro was slightly shocked by the serious tone, and saddened. If this guy was serious about the singer, he had no right to interfere. _I have no claim. I'm just a friend to him._ Glaring once more as a warning, Hiro turned without a word and walked back into the studio.

Eiri studied the closed door for several minutes until he heard music begin to play from within. He felt something he never had before when he thought about Hiro. Jealousy? He didn't miss the subtle message the guitarist was giving off, it was easy to see that he was attracted to the singer, maybe even loved him. A burning feeling raged in his chest at the thought of someone else touching Shuichi. There was no way he'd let him go.

Pulling himself away, he turned and walked towards the elevator, making his way to Tohma's office. He didn't bother to knock on the door, instead letting himself in immediately. Tohma sat behind his desk behind a stack of papers, as usual. He looked up when the door opened, surprised to see the writer. "Eiri, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this visit?"

Eiri was silent, falling into the soft couch on the opposite wall where Tohma sat. Tohma felt the tension radiating from the man, so he leaned forward, propped his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin in his hands. Eiri removed his sunglasses, finding the subdued light comfortable for his eyes. After several moments of mutual silence, Eiri locked his gaze with Tohma. "We need to talk about a few things."

xxx

Shuichi, Hiro and Suguru had practiced non-stop for two hours before their manager showed up. K beckoned the trio to come into the main room and they followed him out. Standing tall, apparently very proud of himself, he smiled. "Alright guys, listen up. We are planning the release date for your single for two weeks from today, which means that it must be perfected. This will be the first step in your debut, so we have to make it good!"

All three men smiled along with the blonde. Shuichi turned to Hiro, excitement bright in his eyes. "I can't believe it, Hiro. We are actually gonna make our own c.d."

Hiro clapped him on the back in agreement. K cleared his throat and, once he got everyone's attention, continued. "We have also scheduled your first concert date to be in six weeks, so we need to have a playlist ready. Shuichi, how are the lyrics coming along?"

Shuichi smiled and ran across the room to retrieve his notebook. Pulling it open, he handed the book to his bandmates. "Eiri and I have been working on it and we already have three songs finished, not including the one we are working on now. We just need the arrangement to go along with them."

Hiro studied the lyrics and was pleasantly surprised by the quality. _Maybe hiring help wasn't such a bad idea_, he thought. "These are really great, Shu. Suguru and I will get started putting music to these."

"That's good news," K commented. "As procedure with new bands, we usually schedule them as opening acts for their first concert. However, Seguchi feels so strongly about your group that he is willing to schedule you as the main act. Pending, of course, on how well your single sells."

"Alright!" Shuichi yelled, bouncing on his feet. His bandmates shared his enthusiasm, feeling very proud of themselves. Shuichi couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. Everything was finally pulling together. He and Hiro get signed to a record label, they are well on their way to an exciting ride, and he met a person he felt so deeply for. Thing were finally looking up.

xxx

The three weeks that followed were like a blur to Shuichi. Days were spend recording and rearranging track to perfection, their single released on schedule. His nights were spent in heaven - strong, comforting arms holding him as if afraid he would disappear. During those long nights, he felt himself falling even more in love with the older man.

Eiri found himself smiling more than he had since he was a little kid. The brightness that Shuichi radiated made his pulse quicken, sending him spiraling with the sound of his laughter. He was so deep that he felt like he was drowning, and he didn't mind at all. All of his fears, his worries and hesitation seemed to slip away with each sound that came out of the boy's mouth. There was no where else he'd rather be.

At the moment, Shuichi sat, along with his bandmates, in the conference room at NG, nervously awaiting the president's arrival. He knew that it was the day the charts came in to give the results of their sales, and he was nervous. Looking towards Hiro and Suguru, he could see that they felt the same anxiety.

Shuichi glanced at the clock on the far side of the wall and noticed that Seguchi and K were late, something that was unusual for the president. He was about to voice this when the door slammed open unexpectedly, causing him to jump. Turning around, he saw K standing in the doorway, a grim expression on his face. Without saying a word, K rounded the table and sat directly across from Hiro. Following behind, albeit calmer, was Tohma, holding a folder in his hands. He sat down opposite of Shuichi and glanced over the three men across from him.

After a few moments in silence, Tohma slid the envelope across the table and leaned back in his chair. "The charts are in, and the results are not what we had anticipated."

Shuichi's heart sank to his knees and he slumped in his chair. His eyes began to burn, but he would not let the humiliation of tears add to the heartbreak of failure. He couldn't look Tohma in the eyes, opting to stare at the smooth wooden tabletop instead.

Tohma cleared his throat and continued. "I was hoping that your single would place you in the top ten this month, but we clearly underestimated your talent."

Shuichi thought he heard wrong, but when he raised his head, Tohma's smiling aqua eyes confirmed what he had heard. "What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly.

Tohma motioned towards the folder and, with a slight tremor in his fingers, flipped the cover open. He blinked, then blinked again. Reading over the list for a third time, he jumped from his chair and screamed. Hiro couldn't believe his eyes. They had not made the top ten...they had made the top five. On the list, at number 5, was their single.

Shuichi couldn't contain his excitement and he hugged Hiro ferociously. "We did it, Hiro!"

Hiro could only nod his agreement, the air being temporarily squeezed out of him by an over-exuberant pink fluff-ball. Shuichi finally peeled himself from his friend and gave Suguru a more subdued hug from behind, knowing the younger man was not one for hugs. Finally finding his seat again, although he could not hold still, Shuichi glanced between Tohma and K, who now wore a sizable smile on his face. "What now?"

Tohma stood from his seat. "For now, I leave you to your manager, as I have a meeting I have to attend. I am pleased with your progress so far, and I don't think that it is too much to expect great things from your group in the future. Enjoy your day." With that, Tohma made his way out of the room.

K stood up and drew the attention of the group. "Alright. You can take the rest of the afternoon off, but be here first thing in the morning. We need to start practicing for your upcoming concert, as Seguchi has decided to make you the main act. Take time to rest today, it's only going to get harder the farther we go."

The three boys didn't hesitate to rush out of the office, excited both by the news and because they had the rest of the day to themselves. Hiro caught up with Shuichi, who was walking quickly down the hall towards the elevator. Putting his hand to the shorter boy's shoulder, he slowed the pace. "Hey buddy. Feel like going out to celebrate?"

Shuichi smiled and his cheeks glowing. "Well, I feel like celebrating, but...well...I - uh, told Eiri I would stop by to let him know the news. Since it's so good 'n all, I thought that...maybe he and I could celebrate...together."

Hiro's mouth dropped and Shuichi, seeing his reaction, flushed even brighter. Not wanting to embarrass his friend more than necessary, he gave his shoulder a squeeze. "No need to go into details, Shuichi. Just don't stay up too late tonight. I don't think K would be very happy if you showed up late tomorrow."

"No problem, Hiro," Shuichi agreed. "See you tomorrow."

Shuichi entered the elevator alone, Hiro having to return to the studio for his things. He decided to go straight to Eiri's, seeing as how he had been spending more time there than at his own apartment for the past three weeks. He smiled at the thought. Maybe thinking of moving in with the writer wouldn't be such a bad idea...

xxx

"Damnit!" He slammed the papers down on the wooden table with a fury, causing a few slips to fall to the ground.

Ma studied his friend's enraged expression, his stomach twisting with worry. He had never seen Taki so angry before. He placed his hand on the man's shoulder as a gesture of comfort. "Come on, Taki. It's not like we bottomed out or anything. We did well, too."

Taki shrugged the offending hand away, turning in his chair to glare at the blonde. "Well? WELL?! We worked our asses off for that album and some pink-headed fairy freak placed two spots above us?! That bottom-scraper isn't even in the same _league _as me!"

Ma sighed, realizing that there was not getting through to the singer. He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up. "Well, I'm gonna go get some hot tea for us. We'll talk more when you've calmed down."

Taki didn't say a word as his friend left, leaving him to sulk in silence. How had he done it? What was it that people saw in him? Taki had to admit that the other singer was attractive and had an air about him that was indisputably appealing. Still, Taki had been in the business for a year and had yet to make the top 5 in the music charts. The fact that Bad Luck's first single to hit the market beat ask...

Taki gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. There had to be a way to take Shindo out of the running. There was no way he was going to give up without a fight, dirty or otherwise. He closed his eyes and wracked his brain. Who else hated the boy? His eyes flew open as his pictured a certain brunette. He smiled, his lips twisted in a sickening way. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone, quickly dialing a number.

"Hello?"

"Ayaka? It's Taki."

_"Oh hi! I was wondering when you were going to call me. What have you been up to lately?"_

"Listen, I can't talk on the phone right now, but are you free for lunch tomorrow? We need to talk about a certain...thorn."

There was a pause, then the voice became serious. "_Of course. Where do you want me to meet you?"_

xxx

Shuichi entered the apartment, squinting in the dim light. He closed the door behind him and, kicking off his shoes, began walking towards the living room. He heard a sound coming from the left and realized that Eiri must have been in the kitchen instead. Sure enough, upon entering he was suddenly swept up off his feet, finding himself locked in a secure embrace. He allowed his head to fall against the warm, firm chest and breathed in the musky scent.

Eiri kissed the boy's head before laying his chin in the soft tresses. He had been waiting all day for the boy to come home, and now he had no intention of loosening his grip. "Are you hungry?"

Shuichi shook his head, feeling too excited to be hungry. Oh yeah, he remembered that he wanted to tell Eiri the good news. He lifted his face from where he laid it and locked eyes with the taller man. "We got our ratings back. Our single made number five!"

Eiri couldn't hide the small smile creeping onto his face from the singer's unsuppressed happiness. "Well, I guess that you deserve a reward then, huh..."

Shuichi was about to question his meaning, but stopped himself when those tender lips covered his own. His eyes immediately snapped shut, his mind shutting off. Eiri gently kneaded Shuichi's soft lips with his own, bringing his hand to rest on the small of his back. He used his tongue to gently trace the crease of the boy's lips and, when they parted without hesitation, he pushed inside without the need to fight for dominance. Shuichi's taste and scent were driving him crazy and he fought against the urge to lengthen his fangs. As much as he would love to taste the essence that was purely Shuichi, he didn't want to frighten him.

Shuichi felt his inhibitions slowly slipping away with each caress of Eiri's skillful tongue against his own. He was painfully aware of his state of arousal, his pants uncomfortably tight. Maybe it was the euphoria he felt as he became drunk on Eiri's taste, but he suddenly felt bold. Without a trace of trepidation, he pressed forward and ground his hips against Eiri, moaning as the intense pleasure paralyzed him. Eiri's eyes snapped open as he felt Shuichi's excitement. He, himself, was already more aroused than he could remember ever being.

Pulling away, Eiri patiently waited for Shuichi's glassy eyes to flutter open. Shuichi groaned at the loss of contact and looked up at the blonde questioningly. Eiri fought to stay in control of his urges, but - damn - the kid looked like sin with his flushed face and lust-filled eyes. "Don't start something you won't finish," he warned, his voice husky.

Shuichi gulped, the fog in his head thinning slightly. He looked into those golden eyes and he couldn't deny that he wanted this. Hardening his resolve, his lips held a shaky smile. "I know." He reached forward and joined their lips together once more, pressing his hardness against Eiri's thigh.

Deciding that he didn't want to think anymore, Eiri lowered both of his hands to cup Shuichi's soft backside, lifting upwards. Unbalanced, Shuichi quickly wrapped his arms around the taller man's neck and wrapped his legs around his waist. Eiri carried him effortlessly down the hall to his bedroom. Instead of tossing the small boy onto the bed, he laid him down gently and crawled over top of him. Parting lips, he began trailing soft nips and kisses from his mouth to his chin and, finally, his neck. He sucked the tender skin gently, soothing the pink skin with his tongue. Shuichi was at a loss for what to do, having never been in this situation before. He cooperated when Eiri lifted his shirt and took it off, fisting his hands into the silky white sheets when Eiri took a pink nub in his mouth, teasing it with his mouth until it became a hardened pebble.

Eiri could not get enough of the lithe, soft body beneath him. Pulling his mouth away from the budding peak, he trailed his tongue down the smooth expanse of skin until he reached his delicate naval. He dipped his tongue inside, his own excitement straining painfully in his pants when he heard the broken cries from the singer's mouth. Nimble fingers made quick work of the button of Shuichi's jeans but a soft tug on his hair made him pause as he was lowering the zipper. He looked up into those beautiful violet eyes, which were now a mixture of desire and fear. He planted his hands on either side of the boy's body and rose up to look at him.

Shuichi felt like an idiot. Even more than that, he felt inadequate...unworthy of such attention. He tried to form words as those gold eyes studied him, but his mind failed him. His hands shook slightly and he had to look away from that beautiful face, feeling his eyes sting no matter how much he tried to calm himself. Carefully gauging the boy's expression, Eiri quickly realized what the problem was. He lowered himself, his body held up by his elbows as he used one hand to turn Shuichi's head to face him. When there eyes met, Eiri was stunned to see tears threatening to fall. "Shuich...we don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Shuichi shook his head. "I...want to. I just...don't know what to do." He averted his gaze before he could see the hunger in the blonde's eyes grow exponentially. Eiri tried to calm himself down before he ended up taking the boy hard. No, he wouldn't do that. Not to him. He lowered his lips to his ear, using his fingertips to gently brush away the sweat-dampened pink strands. He whispered into the boy's ear, allowing his breath to tickle the sensitive flesh. "I'll be gentle...if you let me."

Shuichi was surprised that Eiri would still want him even though he was unexperienced and hadn't the faintest idea of how to make the older man feel good. He glanced upwards and saw only sincerity written on that flawless face. Taking a deep breath, he nodded his consent.

xxx

Shuichi woke up slowly, a smile on his face after having the best night sleep he's had in a long time. He felt warm and comfortable, pulling his arms out from under the comforter and stretching them above his head. His legs followed suit, stretching as far as they could...that was, until, a sharp pain raced up his back. He grimaced, and muffled a cry. That was when he remembered what activities he engaged in the night before that left him so sore.

Unable to fight the smile from blossoming on his face, he slowly rolled onto his side, coming face to face with Eiri, who was already awake. "How long have you been awake?"

Eiri shrugged and brushed a stray lock of hair from Shuichi's forehead. "Doesn't matter."

Shuichi grinned and they fell into silence, neither one wanting to disrupt the peaceful aftereffects of their night together. Shuichi felt so comfortable in the soft bed, Eiri's arm firmly draped across his waist, he began to fall asleep once again. Before he could drift off into oblivion, however, the shrill sound of his cellphone ringing caused his eyes to snap open. "What time is is?" He glanced towards the clock and his mouth dropped open in shock. It was already eleven o'clock!

Shuichi immediately jumped out of bed, forgetting that the bed sheet was wrapped around his legs. _Owww_. He untangled the sheet and got to his feet, running to the bathroom to take a shower. Hopefully the warm water would ease the ache in his backside. Once under the spray of water, he smiled. Last night had been...incredible. A blush crept onto his face as he remembered exactly how Eiri looked under the pale moonlight, a sheen of sweat covering his flawless skin as he...

"Arrgg!" Shuichi plunged his face under the spray, forcing those thoughts away to keep his body under control. "How am I supposed to work today?!"

Eiri lay in the bed for several minutes after the bathroom door shut, simply staring at the ceiling. He knew what he did was wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it. How could someone be so perfect? He knew that his feelings towards the younger male grew by the minute, but he also realized that he had a hard road ahead of him if he wanted to keep him. The smile disappeared from his face. What would happen when Yuki came back? He knew that Yuki would not kill his fledgling, but a human...he wouldn't even have to think twice. Would he really be able to protect Shuichi? What if Shuichi found out what he was? Would he still want to stay by his side when he finds out that he is a monster?

"Hey, Eiri?"

Eiri broke out of his stupor and looked over at Shuichi, who stood in the doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist and his damp hair clinging to his face. He felt the heat pool low in his stomach, but he fought it away. He climbed out of bed and walked over to the boy, kissing  
him on the top of his head. "Get dressed, I'll take you to work."

xxx

Shuichi walked into the studio slowly, his good mood having disappeared from that morning. The car ride had been quiet and he couldn't help but to wonder if he did something wrong. Eiri had seemed so content when they woke up that morning, he was even watching him sleep. On the way to NG, he barely spoke a word to him. He felt his eyes stinging with tears, but he didn't want to cry. He really didn't get the impression that Eiri only wanted to use him for...that...but the thought kept popping into his head. Why else would he have been so distant? The only way to know would be to ask. He walked towards the recording room with a firmer resolve. He would go to Eiri's after work and demand an explanation.

Holding his head high, he pushed the doors open and took a step inside, only to hear a metal click beside his ear. "So nice of you to show up this morning, Shindo."

He smiled nervously at the blonde towering over him. "Sorry, K."

xxx

Eiri returned to his apartment and immediately headed for his bedroom. Worries still plagued his mind and he just wanted to fall asleep to quiet them. He knew that the boy was upset when he dropped him off at the front door. The confused look on his face was enough to cause pain in his chest. He had made a habit of watching him sing for a while before leaving, but he just couldn't do it this morning. He knew that it hurt Shuichi, but he had to think about what he was going to do.

He walked into the bathroom and took a long shower, pleasantly surprised that the fruity smell of Shuichi's shower gel still lingered in the small space. Once clean and dried, he fell into his bed and pulled the sheets around himself. He could still smell the boy's on the covers. He allowed his eyes to fall shut, comforted by the scent of Shuichi.

xxx

Eiri slowly drifted back into consciousness when a weight settled across his legs. There was no sunlight penetrating his eyelids, he must have slept through the whole day. The weight shifted and came closer and he could hear the distinct sound of someone breathing. The corner of his mouth quirked in a smile. _Shuichi_.

He froze when he realized...this was not Shuichi's scent. No, this was much different and he dreaded it. The voice that spoke was most certainly not the musical tone he grew to recognize.

"Wake up, love. Did you miss me?"

xxx

_**A.N. Evil cliffy, I know, but I had to stop it here. I want to get the whole 'confrontation' to my liking, since I guess this would be the climax of the story. I hope that everyone will be patient with me, I want to get it right.**_

_**For those who were disappointed from the lack of a lemon, let me know. I was going to write it out, but I didn't feel like raising the rating. I have no problems adding it in if enough people want me to, but I will have to change the rating.  
**_

_**Let me know how I'm doing, I live off of reviews!**_


End file.
